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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23286655">What Would Have Happened</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/headintheclouds952/pseuds/headintheclouds952'>headintheclouds952</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Hunger Games (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 10:35:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>55,270</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23286655</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/headintheclouds952/pseuds/headintheclouds952</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Clove and Cato had a plan. Cato wins one year and Clove wins the next. Au where Clove doesn’t go into the 74th Hunger Games.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Brutus/Enobaria (Hunger Games), Cato/Clove (Hunger Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>71</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cato lay in is bed running his fingers threw Clove’s dark hair. She was curled into his side, her fingers tracing his abs. “I’m going to volunteer this year,” Cato said. He was 18, it was his last year to be able to volunteer and the trainers had been all over him to get him to volunteer.<br/>
Clove’s fingers froze on his abs, “Ok,” she said and started tracing his abs again.<br/>
“You’re ok with this?” Cato asked.<br/>
“Why wouldn’t I be? It’s always been the plan”, Clove said.<br/>
“Ya I guess your right,” Cato said then instantly regretting the words that had just come out of his mouth. 
“I know I am,” Clove said smirking. Cato grabbed a handful of Clove’s hair and pulled her head up so they were looking at each other. 
“You will never hear me say those words again,” Cato said in a threatening tone.<br/>
“We’ll see,” Clove said smirking. Just as Cato was about to kiss her, his mom’s voice rang out from the other side of his door. 
“Cato! Are you awake?” Panicked expression crossed both Clove and Cato’s and they hurriedly jumped out of Cato’s bed.<br/>
“Ugh ya, I’m up mom,” Cato yelled back. The door rattled and Cato thanked god or the devil or whatever was up there that he had locked the door when Clove had come through the window the night before.<br/>
“Cato why is the door locked?! You know the rules! Open this door right now!” Cato’s mom yelled.<br/>
“One second mom,” Cato yelled back as he finished getting dressed. He wrapped his arm around Clove’s waist as she walked towards the window.<br/>
“See you soon,” he said and kissed her neck before letting her go.</p><p>As he reached the door he looked over his shoulder to make sure she was out of sight before opening it to face his mother.<br/>
“What were you doing?” His mother asked him suspiciously.<br/>
“I was getting dressed,” Cato said, his mom looked at him suspiciously and Cato remembered that he had put back on the same clothes that he had been wearing when Clove came over.<br/>
“I was about to get dressed,” Cato corrected.<br/>
“Well hurry up, you have to be at the training center 15 minutes. Your sister already left,” his mom said and left. Cato cursed inwardly as he shut the door, he didn’t realize that it was that late.</p><p>10 minutes later he was walking into the change room of the training center. When he walked out the head training instructor was just starting.<br/>
“We’ll start with sparring today, so find your training partner,” he ordered. Cato’s eyes scanned the room looking for Clove. He found her over by the knife section. He grabbed a sword as he walked over to her.<br/>
“Ready?” He asked smirking that smirk that terrifies everyone but Clove. She turned to face him matching smirk on her face.</p><p>They walked over to one of the mats and stood on opposite ends of it. They stood there staring at each other for a few seconds before Cato lunged forward, sword raised. Clove never attached first, she always waited to see how her opponent attacked to know their fighting style. She knew that Cato attacked with brute force always overpowering his opponent with strength. She met his sword half way with her knife bringing it down to the mat. But as she expected he pulled his sword up making her stumble slightly from the force. She quickly regained her balance and dodged his sword as he swung at her. She brought her leg up and kicked his ankle knocking him off feet. He turned his body so he landed on his back and grabbed her ankle as he hit the ground, bringing her down with him. Cato quickly tried to get up, but Clove was faster and got on top of him first, but didn’t pin him down quick enough. Cato pushed her off him and rolled to try to get on top. They rolled a couple times before Clove was able to get on top. She pinned him down her knees on his shoulders, feet on his wrist, it was the position he had the hardest getting out of him. She had one of her head resting on the bottom of his neck and brought her other fist up and brought it down aiming for his nose. Cato quickly turned his head so Clove hit his cheek. They were in killer mode so Clove was mad that she didn’t hit Cato were she wanted to. With her other hand she moved his head and held it where she wanted it and punched his nose this time. Cato then managed to get out from under Clove and wrapped his hand around her neck. He punched her twice before she hooked her leg around his waist and flipped them over again. Cato hit her side making her fall off him. They both stood got onto their knees and Cato punched Clove’s face making her fall over. She kicked her leg out hitting his stomach with enough force to make him fall backward. Clove quickly climbed on top of him and just as she was about to punch him again when a whistle rang out,</p><p>“Cavia, Hirsh, enough. Go get yourselves cleaned up,” the head instructor yelled. Clove rolled off Cato and noticed that everyone had been watching them. Clove glared at them and they all went back to sparring.</p><p>Clove walked into the change room and stared into the mirror looking at the damage. Her lip and nose had blood streaming out of them and she raised her shirt to look at her side that was starting to turn purple. She cleaned the blood off her face and then walked back out to the change room.</p><p>Everyone had stopped sparring and was practicing there own chosen skill, so Clove went over to the targets to practice her knife throwing skills.</p><p>After a few minutes of throwing her knifes, she turned around from collecting her knifes from the target to find Cato watching her from a few feet away.<br/>
“Let’s go do a seminar,” he said and nodded his head towards the other end of the room where all the seminar booths were.</p><p>Clove followed him as he walked towards them. They stepped inside the booth and Cato punched the start button. They stood in their stances, backs facing each other, ready to fight. The first holographic person appeared and Clove threw her knife at it instantly. Cato slashed the next as Clove threw another one of her knifes. Cato slashes four more as Clove threw five more knifes. As Clove turned to the side to throw another knife, she didn’t see a hologram coming at her. Cato grabbed her waist pulling her towards him, Clove arm fell around his neck, and he slashed the hologram as Clove threw a knife at a hologram behind Cato. Cato stabbed another with such force that his sword fell out of his sweaty hand. The last hologram came at them and Clove’s hand flew up to her ponytail and grabbed the small knife tucked in her ponytail and threw at the hologram. As the seminar ended they realized that they were still pressed against each other. They quickly let go and walked out of the booth. Their relationship, if you could call it that, was common knowledge among the youth of district 2. There were lots of rumors about them, but they still denied them all.<br/>
Clove and Cato’s parents hated each other, had for years and because of that it was an unspoken agreement that Clove and Cato should hate each other as well. Both of Clove parents were victors, same with Cato’s father. His mother was a high ranked peacekeeper. Cato was almost certain that if his parents found out about him and Clove that they would arrange for Clove to disappear and they could do it, no matter who her parents were.</p><p>The bell for lunch rang and Clove disappeared into the change room like she did every day at lunch as Cato sat down with his group of friends.<br/>
“So Cato, how’s knife girl,” Cato’s friend Mark said smirking.<br/>
“What do you mean?” Cato asked trying to act dumb.<br/>
“Oh come on man, everyone knows that you’re screwing her,” Lewis said.<br/>
“No, I’m not,” Cato said.<br/>
“Cato, last time you slept with someone it was Clove, 2 years ago, come on man get back in the game,” James said.<br/>
“You don’t know that,” Cato said.<br/>
“Cato, man it’s you, when you sleep with a girl the next day she bragging about it, and nobody’s bragged about you for two years,” James said.<br/>
“So?” Cato said dropping his food.<br/>
“Get back in the game, there’s tons of girls here throwing themselves at you every day. Take one of them up on their offer,” James said.<br/>
Clove walked out of the change room right as the bell rang. Cato and his friends went back to training.<br/>
Cato was cutting off dummies limbs when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned sword raised to see James stepping back, hands raised.<br/>
“What?” Cato asked lowering his sword.<br/>
James slapped Cato’s shoulder, turning him around,<br/>
“What about her?” He asked pointing across the room. Cato followed his finger to see a blonde girl holding a machete on the other side of the room.<br/>
“What about her?” Cato asked looking at James.<br/>
“She’s been throwing herself at you for weeks now, go get some,” James said.<br/>
“If I do this will you get off my back?” Cato asked.<br/>
“Sure, now go,” James said pushing Cato it in her direction.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here’s the second chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clove turned around from collecting her knifes from the targets when her eyes fell on Cato talking, flirting, with some blond girl. She saw red and in a blink of an eye she turned around and threw her knife, hitting the target perfectly. </p><p>She clenched her hands into fist as she panted angrily. How could she be so stupid? How could she actually believe that Cato cared about her? How could she have believed everything that he had said? They were monsters. Raised to kill, raise do be ruthless, merciless killers. It’s not possible that he cared about her. God, she was stupid. </p><p>She threw her knifes all threw out lunch and until the end of the day. And like usual she continued throwing after everyone started to get ready to leave. She held a knife ready to throw when the girl who had been talking to Cato earlier came out of the change room with one of her friends. Clove paid attention to their conversation,</p><p>”So he’s not with knife girl?” Her friend asked. </p><p>“Would he have asked me out if he was?” She replied. </p><p>“I don’t know, he seems like a bit of a pig to me. Remember how he used to have a different in his bed every day?” Her friend said. Clove remembered those days, back before they had gotten together, Cato slept with a different girl every day, every time Clove would go to his house there’d either be a girl in it or leaving it. </p><p>“And remember how good they said he was?” The blonde said. Her friend gave her a ‘seriously’ look. </p><p>“Whatever, he’s coming over tonight though,” the blonde said and Clove hated how it felt like knives piercing her heart. </p><p>Clove continued throwing knives until she saw Cato come out last of the change room. Clove sent a knife towards his head. </p><p>Cato stepped back as the knife came flying at his head. His head snapped over to the direction it had come from and he saw Clove look away from him and continue throwing knives at the target. He stormed over to her and grabbed her arm, turning her to face him, </p><p>“What the hell was that?” He roared, Clove just glared at him, “were you trying to kill me or did you just miss?” He know that that comment would probably get under her skin. </p><p>Clove shook him off and went back to throwing knifes, “have fun with your blonde,” she said bitterly. </p><p>“What?” Cato asked. </p><p>“The blonde you were close to feeling up,” Clove said not looking back at him. Cato sighed, of course Clove had seen him, they had been in the middle of the training centre not an invisible forest. Cato looked at the small girl in front of him, he had known Clove his entire life, he knew that under her icy and confident exterior, Clove was insecure about a lot of things, including their ‘relationship’.</p><p>“Clove,” Cato said softly reaching out to grab her arm, she shook him off, “Clove listen to me, I just talked to her to get the guys off my back. I did it to keep us secret.” Clove looked over her shoulder at him, taking in his truthful expression. Cato never lied to her. </p><p>“Whatever,” Clove said, leaving her knifes in the targets and walked into the change room. </p><p>Clove walked out of the change room to find Cato standing right next to the entrance holding her knifes. </p><p>“Don’t touch my knives,” Clove said grabbing her knives out of his hands. </p><p>“Clove, I’m not going to her house, I’m going to yours, aren’t I?” Cato said.</p><p>“I don’t know are you?” Clove said putting her knives in her the waist band of her leggings and her boots and jacket. Cato stepped away from the wall and crashed his lips onto hers. He held her face in between his hands tangling his fingers in her hair. He could feel Clove trying to pull away, but he just kissed her harder. And after a bit, Clove did kiss him back. </p><p>“How about we go back to my place and I can make your insecurities disappear,” Cato said pulling away. Clove nodded. </p><p>That night Cato’s bedroom was filled with muffled moans and screams. </p>
<hr/><p>When Cato woke up the next morning Clove was gone. Cato quickly got dressed and went over to Clove’s house. He climbed through her window to see Clove standing in front of her closet in her dark purple training pants, pulling on her matching thick strap tank top. Cato walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her neck. </p><p>“No Cato,” she said elbowing him. </p><p>“Why not? We did yesterday?” Cato pointed out. </p><p>“And you were almost late for training,” Clove said. </p><p>“So were you,” Cato said. </p><p>“I’m not volunteering this year Cato,” Clove said grabbing her jacket, “Go home.” Clove grabbed her bag and left her room. Cato shook his head and climbed back out the window.</p>
<hr/><p>At the training center Clove and Cato avoided each other as much as they could. That’s what they did each time they fought, whether it was a small fight or big. </p><p>At the end of the day after Cato came out last of the change room he sat on a bench against the wall watching Clove throw her knifes. </p><p>“I can feel you staring want to you want,” Clove called. </p><p>“Nothing really I suppose,” Cato answered. </p><p>“You ready for the reaping tomorrow?” Clove asked. </p><p>“Ya. I’ve been bragging about it to the guys all day, everyone knows I’m volunteering, no one will get in my way,” Cato said. </p><p>“Good,” Clove said. </p><p>“Have you heard anything about girl volunteers?” Cato asked. Clove stopped throwing, thinking,</p><p>“Umm, I think I heard Ashely or maybe Ellie say that they wanted to,” Clove said collecting her knives. </p><p>“Done for the day?” Cato asked, Clove looked between him and the targets, “Come on angel, it’s my last night before the games.” </p><p>“Alright,” Clove sighed and walked into the change room. </p><p>Just as she was about to open her locker, she was spun around and shoved against it. Cato’s ice blue eyes stared at her intently as he lifted her and she wrapped her legs around his waist. </p><p>“Cato someone’s gonna show up soon to lock up,” Clove protested. </p><p>“So?” Cato said attaching his lips to Clove’s neck. Clove smirked at the thought of being caught as adrenaline shot through her veins. </p><p>The sound of a door opening made Clove and Cato break apart. </p><p>“Over there,” Clove said nodding her head to a part of the change room hidden from the door. Cato put Clove down and then moved to stand behind one of rows of lockers.</p><p>A few minutes later the lights shut off and the sounds of door’s locking filled the air. Clove and Cato smirked at each other before Cato grabbed Clove and shoved her against the wall again. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The reaping will be in the next chapter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Reaping!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sound of a door slamming open against the wall woke Clove up from a dreamless sleep. She was about to put her head back on the pillow when the curtains were pulled back letting sunlight stream into the room. Clove groaned raising her arm to shield her face from the light. </p><p>“Rise and shine sunshine,” Cato said, the sun illuminating his figure. Clove glared at him, mad that he had woken her up (she wasn’t in any way a morning person) and got even more pissed off as she saw the huge grin on his face. </p><p>“It’s too early for that Cato,” she growled and lay back down. </p><p>“Too early for what?” He asked, grin not faltering. </p><p>“The excitement, you look like a kid in a candy store,” Clove growled. </p><p>“Oh come on princess, it’s reaping morning. A time to be excited,” Cato said. Clove just rolled her eyes. </p><p>“Oh come on Clove cheer up, soon you’ll be the girlfriend of a victor,” Cato said sitting on Clove’s bed. Clove rolled over to look at him. She searched his blue eyes for anything. Uncertainty, in coming home, in his skills, in anything. Clove had confidence that Cato would come home, but she still tried to find any doubts that he wouldn’t. </p><p>“What is it?” Cato asked annoyance creeping into his voice. </p><p>“Nothing,” Clove said getting out of bed. </p><p>“Clove,” Cato growled. She turned around to face him. “What’s wrong?”</p><p>”Nothing,” Clove said firmly. </p><p>“Don’t lie to me,” Cato said, his temper starting to rise. </p><p>“I’m not,” Clove said matching his tone. </p><p>“Clove I've known you long enough to know when you’re lying to me, don’t lie to me. I never lie to you,” Cato said and Clove knew that was true. </p><p>Clove took a deep breath before saying what she had wanted to keep in, “Are you sure you want to volunteer?” The question seemed to catch Cato off guard. </p><p>“Why wouldn’t I?” Cato said. </p><p>“I don’t know. Cato it’s the hunger games,” Clove said. </p><p>“Exactly. It’s the hunger games. I’ve trained for this my whole life, I know I can do this. And next year when you go, of course I’ll be worried, but I’ll know you can do it. Have faith in me angel,” Cato said. Clove sighed then nodded. “Now go get dressed, the reaping is waiting,” the excitement returning to his voice. Clove turned around to face her dresser and when she didn’t hear footsteps she realized that Cato wasn’t planning on leaving her alone to dress. Her hair cascaded down her back shielding it from Cato’s sight. </p><p>When she was ready she turned back around to face Cato. He sat exactly where he had been before, watching her. </p><p>She walked up to him and placed her hands on each side of his face, “You will think before you do anything, you won’t do anything stupid and you will come back to me. You have to come back to me Cato.” </p><p>“I will, you know I can do this. Believe in me,” Cato said. </p><p>“I do,” Clove said stepping back dropping her hands. She let Cato grab her hand and lead her out of her room. Her parents weren’t home, most likely they were helping prepare the reaping like they did every year. </p><p>Cato insisted on making Clove breakfast since he always said she didn’t eat enough. Clove didn’t protest, even though he didn’t say it, Cato was a pretty good cook. </p><p>Cato watched Clove eat, deciding it was now or never to tell her. </p><p>“I have to tell you something,” Cato said. </p><p>“What?” Clove said looking up at him. Cato’s eyes swam in emotion, something Clove had never seen before. “Cato what is it?”</p><p>“I love you,” he said. Shock took over Clove’s face, </p><p>“What?!” She said dropping her fork, “Are you crazy?”</p><p>”Probably,” Cato said making Clove scoff. </p><p>“It was rhetorical question dumbass,” Clove said standing up, “You can’t love me!”</p><p>”Why not?” Cato asked. </p><p>“We’re monsters Cato, monsters don’t love!” Clove said her voice rising. </p><p>Cato opened his mouth but was cut off by the sound of a horn going off in the distance. It was time for the reaping. </p><p>Clove turned around and walked out of her house, Cato followed her, but he knew he couldn’t say anything else since they were now surrounded by people. </p>
<hr/><p>Oceana, the district 2 escort, walked onto the stage and up to the microphone. </p><p>“Welcome, welcome,” she greeted. Clove rolled her eyes at her fake capitol accent. </p><p>“Now before we begin we have a very special message, brought to you all the way from the capitol!” Oceana said in her fake accent. </p><p>Clove turned her head to find Cato staring at her from the 18 year olds section. </p><p>‘War, terrible war,’ he mouthed in sync with the video, she smirked. It was the same video every year and Clove was bored of it. She turned her head back to the screen. </p><p>Oceana stepped back up to the microphone as the video ended, “Now for moment you’ve all been waiting for, it’s time to pick are two brave volunteers to represent district 2 in the 74th Hunger Games!” Cheers and hoots erupted from the crowd. </p><p>Oceana walked over to one of the big glass bowls and pulled out a slip of paper. </p><p>“Miranda Halloway,” Oceana announced into the microphone. </p><p>“I volunteer,” a voice said. A girl with light brown hair ran to the stage. </p><p>“And what’s your name?” Oceana asked. </p><p>“Ellie Walker,” she said. </p><p>“Now for the boys,” Oceana said reaching into the other glass bowl. </p><p>“Liam- “I volunteer,” Cato’s voice rang out over the crowd. Clove saw Ellie’s confident expression fall briefly before she caught herself. She knew she wouldn’t be able to defeat Cato. </p><p>“We have a volunteer,” Oceana said seeming annoyed that she got interrupted as Cato walked to the stage. </p><p>“What’s your name?” Oceana asked again. </p><p>“Cato Hirsh,” Cato said proudly. </p><p>“Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you your 74th Hunger Games tributes!” Oceana yelled into the microphone and the crowd erupted into cheers again knowing that this year they’d have another victor. </p>
<hr/><p>Cato sat in the room where he would say goodbye.</p><p>The door opened and Cato’s parents and younger sister, Chloe walked in. </p><p>“Cato very good, we knew you could do it,” Cato’s mom said. </p><p>“Now go back your district proud. That girl won’t be able to. Make us proud son,” Cato’s dad said. Cato’s mom hugged him and his dad clapped his shoulder and then they left leaving Cato alone with his sister. </p><p>Chloe looked back at the door until she was sure her parents were out of ear shot. </p><p>“What’s going on in that head of yours Clo?” Cato asked crouching down so he was her height. </p><p>“Are you going into the games so you can be with Clove?” Chloe asked. </p><p>“What? Chloe, Clove and I aren’t- “Together,” Chloe finished for him, “I know you are. I’ve seen you climb out your window, and I saw her in your room once.” </p><p>“Do mom and dad- “They don’t know,” Chloe said cutting him off again, “Do you like her?” </p><p>“Ya, I do,” Cato said reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small box. He opened it to show Chloe a small silver band with a red jewel. Chloe smiled. “I love her Clo.”</p><p>”But we’re taught that we shouldn’t love” Chloe said. </p><p>“I know, but we still have a bit of humanity in us” Cato said sliding the box back into his pocket. </p><p>“Does she know you love her?” Chloe asked. </p><p>“I told her this morning,” Cato said. </p><p>“And?” </p><p>“She yelled at me,” Cato said. Chloe laughed. “Clove has a little sister, she’s about your age.” </p><p>“Serena, I know. She’s nice,” Chloe said. </p><p>“You friends?” Cato asked. </p><p>“Mom and dad wouldn’t allow it,” Chloe said. </p><p>“Mom and dad don’t have to know,” Cato said. Chloe smiled and wrapped her arms around Cato’s neck. </p><p>“You can do this Cato,” she whispered. </p><p>“I know,” Cato said hugging his sister tightly. </p><p>The door opened and peacekeepers came in, “Time to go.” Chloe let go of Cato and walked towards the door. When she got to the door she looked over her shoulder, “See you when you get back.” </p><p>“See you soon kid,” Cato said. The door shut. Cato sat down in the plush couch against the wall. He didn’t know if Clove was going to come, but if anyone else was going to come say goodbye, it would be her. </p><p>The door opened and in walked Clove. </p><p>“I wasn’t sure you’d come,” Cato said. Clove’s her hands were in her pockets and was looking at the ground, she shrugged. Silence took over the room as Cato watched Clove and she kept her eyes on the ground. </p><p>“Monsters can’t love Cato,” Clove said quietly. </p><p>“I know, but that doesn’t change how I feel about you,” Cato said from his place on the couch. </p><p>“I know, and I know I love you too,” Clove said, her voice still quietly. Cato looked at her slightly shocked before he stood up and walked over to her. He placed his finger under her chin lifting her face. He slowly leaned down and kissed her softly. </p><p>“You sure?” He asked. She nodded. “Good.” Cato reached into his pocket and pulled out the box. Clove watched his movement as he opened the box, </p><p>“Marry me Clove,” he said. Her head snapped up to look at him to see if he was serious or not. </p><p>“Are you serious?” She asked. </p><p>“Ya. As a promise, a promise that I’ll come back to you, that I always come back to you. And when I get back we’ll get married,” Cato said. Clove looked down at the ring, glittering in the light. She took it out of the box holding it between her fingers. </p><p>“Ok,” she said sliding it on her finger. </p><p>“Ok? That’s all I get,” Cato said. Clove smirked at him. </p><p>Cato lifted Clove, making it so they were the same height. Clove wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms tightly around his neck as Cato closed the space between their lips. </p><p>“We’ll have a proper reunion when I get back,” Cato said, his words muffled against Clove’s neck. Clove moaned as Cato sucked on the sensitive part of her neck. Cato put Clove back on the ground when the door opened, but Clove just pulled his lips down to hers, he smirked against her mouth. </p><p>It took the peacekeepers a while, but they eventually separated the two teenagers.</p><p>The last thing Cato saw before the door shut was Clove’s smirk.   </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Feedback is always welcome!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cato was escorted to the train by peacekeepers with Ellie next to him. He couldn’t help but notice how she kept looking over at him with a look that he had seen from girls hundreds of times. They walked through the crowd of reporters to the train. </p><p>Inside the train they were met by Oceana and this years mentors. Brutus, who won the 42nd Hunger Games and Miley, who had won the 51st. Cato took in Brutus, he had admired him for years. He knew Brutus was a good mentor, he was one of the district 2 victors known for bringing home tributes. </p><p>“Well Brutus, I think we’ll have another victor this year,” Miley said, eyes roaming Ellie and Cato. </p><p>“Yes, I think we will,”. Brutus said looking at Cato. Cato met his intense stare. </p><p>“Well now Brutus, don’t scare them,” Oceana said, “Come come, I’ll show you your rooms.” Oceana led Cato and Ellie down a hall. </p><p>“This one’s your’s Cato,” Oceana said pointing to a door in the left, “And this is yours Ellie,” she said pointing to door further down the hall on the right. “Dinner’s in 20 minutes, don’t be late.” Cato walked into his room as soon as Oceana was done talking. </p><p>He quickly showered before finding a pair of jeans and black t-shirt. Took a while though, there was barely anything normal in the closet full of Capitol clothes. </p><p>He walked into the kitchen where Oceana, Brutus and Miley sat at the table. He sat down across from Brutus and an avox set a plate full of food down in front of him. </p><p>“Cato, I’ve seen you train. Your quite the monster in the battlefield,” Brutus said. </p><p>“Thank you sir,” Cato replied. </p><p>“Ha! He called you sir,” Miley said, confusing Cato. Brutus rolled his eyes. </p><p>“Call me Brutus,” Brutus said. Cato nodded. Ellie walked in then, in skinny jeans and a black shirt with an extremely low neckline. Cato had a feeling it was for his benefit, since he could feel Ellie’s eyes burning a whole in the back of his head from the second she walked in to when she sat down next to him. </p><p>“You’re late!” Oceana scolded, “Punctuality is important!”</p><p>”Sorry,” Ellie said not sounding the littlest bit sorry, while an avox placed her food in front of her. Oceana made a sound that sounded like a scoff and a sound of disbelief. </p><p>“So we’ll arrive in the Capitol in a matter of hours. You two will love it there,” Oceana said. </p><p>During dinner Oceana kept coming up with random topics that no one really participated besides one word answers from some. </p><p>“Oh the reapings! Come come,” Oceana said jumping up. Miley and Ellie followed her, but Brutus stopped Cato in the doorway. </p><p>“Don’t think I haven’t heard the rumors,” he said lowly and then walked off behind the others. Cato stood there a second thinking that he could only mean the rumors about him and Clove. </p><p>Cato walked into the same room as the others had. Miley, Brutus and Oceana sat on a long couch and Ellie sat on a smaller one. The only spot left was next to Ellie so Cato decided to lean against the doorway, much to Ellie annoyance. </p><p>Cato paid attention to the reaping from district 1, these would be some of his alleys. </p><p>The girl volunteered, she was tall and blonde, would most likely go for the ditzy angle during the interviews, but Cato could hear Clove’s voice in his head saying that she has to be a good fighter or she wouldn’t of volunteered. Something she said often about the girls from one when they had watched the reapings together in the past. </p><p>The boy, also a volunteer, had dark brown hair and was lean, but muscular. He’d be a good fighter, most likely in hand to hand combat. </p><p>The district 2 reaping went by quick. Cato was proud with how confident and intimidating he looked. </p><p>Cato didn’t pay much attention to district 3, they wouldn’t be much. </p><p>District 4 weren’t too bad. They were never at district 1 and 2’s ability levels but they did have some good fighters. </p><p>Cato didn’t pay much attention to districts 5 through 11, but was brought back to focus when ‘I volunteer as tribute’ came from the tv. Cato’s head snapped back to the to and he stood up straighter. </p><p>“A volunteer from 12,” Miley murmured. </p><p>“What?” Ellie said quietly. Cato could hear Clove’s voice in his head again, ‘watch out for her.’ </p><p>“We’ll need to watch out for her,” Cato voiced. </p><p>“What, why? She’s for 12,” Ellie said swiveling around to face him.</p><p>“And she volunteered, she could be more than she looks like,” Cato said. Brutus nodded taking in Cato’s logic. </p><p>The boy from 12 wasn’t anything special. </p><p>“Well get some sleep, we’ll be arriving in the capitol in about 2 hours. You two have lots ahead of you,” Miley said as the tv went back to some capitol show. </p><p>Cato walked back to his room and shut the door, but the second he did it opened again. Cato turned around to face Ellie. </p><p>“What do you want?” Cato asked gruffly. </p><p>“To offer to keep your bed warm since knife girl isn’t here,” Ellie said closing the door. </p><p>“Why does everyone think there’s something going on between me and Clove. She’s my training partner, nothing else,” Cato said.</p><p>“People saw you two making out in the alley behind the bakery last week. Everyone knows that’s your spot,” Ellie said. </p><p>“I’ve a lot of girls back there, but never Clove. Last week it was Miranda Hudson,” Cato said, saying the first name that came to mind. </p><p>“That’s weird, cause Miranda Hudson was the one who told everyone she saw you two,” Ellie said with a smirk. </p><p>“Then I guess I didn’t know her name,” Cato said bringing his face closer to hers the turned around. </p><p>“Why are you so determined to keep it secret, she isn’t here,” Ellie said.  </p><p>“I’m not, but just like everyone else, you’re wrong,” Cato said leaning back against a wall. </p><p>“Look,” Ellie said sitting on his bed, “We both know I’m not going home, you are. So what does it matter that I know the truth, I won’t be able to tell anyone. And even if I go home, you’d be dead, so why would it matter if I knew.” Cato debated her logic, but decided against telling her, because if Ellie went home and told people, Clove would raise him from the dead, just to kill him again. </p><p>“There’s nothing Ellie,” Cato said. Ellie glared at him, then smirked, </p><p>“Then you won’t mind me staying,” Ellie said. </p><p>“Your not my type,” Cato said. </p><p>“Since when do you care about type. You sleep with everyone,” Ellie snapped. </p><p>“Not you,” Cato said remembering about all the times Ellie had thrown herself at him. Ellie got mad and walked towards the door. </p><p>She looked back at him when she got to the door, “Oh and Elise was pretty upset when you didn’t show up, but I guess we all know where you went instead.” </p><p>Elise? That must of been the name of the girl James made him flirt with. </p><p>Cato lay down on his bed and tried to sleep. </p>
<hr/><p>“Cato!” Oceana yelled, banging on his door. Cato didn’t realize that he had fallen asleep. </p><p>He walked out of his room and followed Oceana into the front room where the doors of the train were. Brutus, Miley and Ellie, who glared at him as he walked up, stood. </p><p>“Ready, heads high, you are in the capitol, big smiles,” Oceana said placing herself in front of the small group. </p><p>The doors opened and they followed Oceana out into the screaming crowd. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m not really which year Brutus won so I just made it up.  I created Miley. And the boy from 1 isn’t Marvel, he’ll be in Clove’s games later.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cato and Ellie were brought to the building where they would meet their preps teams and stylists. </p><p>Cato stood on a platform surrounded by 3 smaller colourful people. One was blue, another green and the third orange. </p><p>They made him take off his clothes as they inspected him. They scrubbed his skin, taking off his the scars that had been given to him during fights and his late night activities with Clove. </p><p>After about 15 minutes of that, they left the room and Cato stood there waiting for his stylist. A brown haired girl, with streaks of purple, blue and pink in her hair walked in. Her eyes roamed Cato, and nodded to herself. </p><p>“Cato, right?” She asked, her eyes snapping up to meet his, turned red by the contacts she was wearing. </p><p>“Ya,” Cato said, taking in the big cape thing she was wearing, it was a light bright purple, and had a collar that went up to the top of her neck and fanned out around the back and sides of her neck. </p><p>“I’m Rosalyn,” she said as she walked up to him and started walking in circles around him, her tall heels clicking against the floor were the only sound that filled the room.</p><p>“Not bad,” she murmured to herself as she continued circling him,</p><p>“Alright,” Rosalyn said stopping in front of him and clasping her hands in from getting of her, “As you know tonight is the tribute parade, we’ll spend the next few hours getting you ready. Tributes are dressed as something corresponding to their district.” She turned and grabbed a black robe that was thrown over the back of a chair behind her. She threw it at him, “Put that on and follow me.” </p><p>She led him down a hall and into a room a few doors down. It looked almost like a salon. </p><p>“This way,” Rosalyn said as she walked into an adjoining bathroom. Inside his prep team was there, they were filling up the tub, grabbing bottles of shampoos and conditioners and soaps. </p><p>One of them pointed to the tub silently telling Cato to get in. Cato looked skeptically at the bright pink water. </p><p>“It won’t die your skin don’t worry,” Rosalyn said noticing Cato hesitance. Cato nodded and removed the robe and slowly got into the tub, still slightly hesitant. </p><p>They immediately started working, scrubbing his skin more, cleaning his nails, washing his hair. </p><p>After about 20 minutes they pulled him out of the tub and pulled him into the main room. </p><p>“Sit,” Rosalyn said pointing to the chair. Cato sat down looking in the mirror in from the of him. His skin almost had a faint glow to it. </p><p>The orange man styled his hair, running gel through it. Rosalyn disappeared as the other two stood to the side. </p><p>Minutes later, Rosalyn returned with a garment bag in hand. She handed it the two standing on the side as the orange one finished Cato’s hair and stepped back. They opened the bag and pulled out the pieces of his costume. </p><p>They handed him a pair of white pants that had grey highlights. Next they handed him a white vest, also highlighted with grey. </p><p>Once he was dressed, he looked in the mirror, his costume resembled the peacekeepers uniforms. The vest showed off his muscled arms and chiseled chest and stomach. His hair was styled messily. </p><p>“Come on,” Rosalyn said leading Cato out of the room. In the hall, they met up with Ellie who was in a similar costume. She had a low cut shirt that showed more then enough cleavage. She was in tall heels and and short white skirt. </p><p>Their stylists led them to the elevator where they rode it down to the bottom floor. The doors opened to a big room full of people, horses and chariots. At the other side of the room were a big set of doors that would open to the outside arena. </p><p>Rosalyn and Ellie’s stylist, a man with green hair and blue tattoos over his face and arms, led them to the second chariot from the door. </p><p>The blonde from one stood on her chariot, turned around to looked at Cato as he climbed in his chariot, her eyes roamed his body. She met his eyes and winked. Cato just rolled his eyes and leaned forward on a bar at the front of the chariot, looking anywhere but at the blonde, who was still looking at him. </p><p>Ellie nudged his arm and nodded her head to behind them. Cato looked over his shoulder to see 12 climbing onto their chariot. They were dressed in black suits. </p><p>“What do you think their supposed be?” Ellie asked. </p><p>“Who knows,”. Cato answered. </p><p>The horses started to move and Cato stood up straight. </p><p>The doors opened revealing the huge crowd and loud screams. </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cato stormed through the door of the second floor. Stupid district 12 stole the show with their stupid fire. By the end of the parade none of the capitol people even remembered that anyone else was there besides 12. </p><p>Cato yelled as he threw a vase across the room. </p><p>“Cato!” Oceana yelled. </p><p>“Cato calm down,” Brutus barked. </p><p>“Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down? 12 stole the show! 12!” Cato yelled. </p><p>“Just the parade,” Miley said, “We still have training and the interviews. And we all know 12 most likely isn’t going to do well at those, we still have time to win them back.” Cato debated her words. </p><p>“Fine,” Cato said and stormed off to his room. </p><p>He slammed his hand into the control panel in the shower and burning hot water came steaming onto his back. It felt like small bullets hitting his skin. He roughly ran his hand through his hair, pulling at it. </p><p>With another frustrated yell, he smashed his fist into the wall. He stood under the water stream as he stared seeing red. He clenched his hands into fists as he panted angrily. District 12 never overpowered, over shined or over anything district 2. District 2 was the strongest and Cato wasn’t going to let district 12 be better than them. This was Cato year, not 12’s. He was going to win, not them. </p><p>Cato thought about Clove. He needed to calm himself down. He ran his hands through his hair again. He pictured Clove, her dark hair that got messy when he tangled his hands in it. The look she got on her face when someone pissed her off. And most importantly the side of her that he couldn’t stay mad at, her insecure side. How she was when she lay beneath him, how she got insecure when he looked at her. </p><p>The red at the edge of his vision disappeared, thinking about Clove was the only thing that could calm him down. </p><p>He pushed a button on the panel and the water stopped. He stepped out and wrapped a towel around his waist. </p><p>He dug through the closest and pulled out a pair of black sweat pants. He lay down shirtless on the bed. </p><p>“Cato! Dinner!” Oceana’s voice yelled through the door. Cato didn’t mood he wasn’t in the mood for dinner, so he stayed put.</p>
<hr/><p>Sunlight streamed through the partly open curtains waking Cato. He threw on black shirt and walked out in the kitchen running a hand over his face. </p><p>“Good morning,” Brutus said looking over a white mug as Cato walked into the kitchen. Cato nodded to him and sat down across from him. </p><p>“You didn’t come to dinner last night,” Brutus said as an avox placed a plate full of food in front of Cato. </p><p>“Wasn’t hungry,” Cato replied shortly and started filling his mouth with food. </p><p>“Calmed out yet?”Miley asked addressing Cato as she walked into the kitchen and sat down next to Brutus. </p><p>“Yup,” Cato said mouth full. </p><p>“Good,” Miley said starting to eat. They sat in silence for about 10 minutes before Ellie walked in. For once she was actually dressed appropriately. </p><p>“Today you’ll start training,” Brutus said, “For three days you will train with the rest of the tributes and on the forth day you’ll have your private session with the game makers.”</p><p>”For the next three days your jobs are to intimidate the other tributes and impress the game makers. The earlier you start to impress them, the higher chance you get a higher score,” Miley said. Cato and Ellie nodded. </p><p>“Your stylist should have your training outfits in your rooms by now,” Brutus said dismissing Cato and Ellie. </p><p>Cato walked into his room to find Rosalyn and the green dude standing in front of his bed. </p><p>“I didn’t realize I needed help getting dressed,” Cato said closing the door behind him. </p><p>“Relax, don’t need you wigging out again,” Rosalyn said. </p><p>“You heard about that?” Cato asked crossing his arms. </p><p>“Questions came up when you didn’t show up to dinner,” Rosalyn said holding out a grey shirt with red around the collar and sleeves. </p><p>“I missed one dinner, not tea with the president,” Cato said pulling off his shirt and putting on the grey one. </p><p>“Snarky today,” Rosalyn said handing him the pants. </p><p>“I’m always snarky you just haven’t spent enough time with me to realize it,” Cato said changing pants. </p><p>“Time to train,” Miley’s voice yelled from the hall. </p><p>“Until next time,” Rosalyn said as Cato left the room. </p><p>Miley led Cato and Ellie into the elevators and down a couple floors. The doors opened to one of the greatest training centres Cato had seen. He strode out of the elevator into the huge room. He looked over all the weapons with a grin. </p><p>The elevators opened again and district 12 walked out. Cato stopped and glared at them, just like he had done after the parade the night before. Only this time, they didn’t have their mentor to whisk them away. The girl, Katniss, noticed him and pulled the boy to the other side of the room. Cato smirked to himself and continued to look at the weapons. </p><p>“Everyone gather round,” the head trainer yelled, as she stood up on a box. She was a dark skinned women around 30 maybe, with short dark hair. </p><p>Cato paid faint attention to the speech she was giving. Blah, blah blah, don't avoid the survival stations, blah blah blah, in the next few weeks 23 will be dead, blah blah blah. </p><p>Cato looked over every tribute while she talked. Trying to find any visible weaknesses, noting the ones who’s eyes kept darting around the room, the ones who seemed to shy away as much as they could and noting the ones who stood tall and proud, the ones who didn’t seem scared. He looked at the ones who didn’t seem scared and tried to figure out if they were faking or not. </p><p>The second the trainer stopped talking Cato headed over the where the swords were and immediately grabbed one and started swinging at dummies. Today, he decided, he was going to intimidate the other tributes, show them that he’s not to be messed with. And if he just happens to impress the game makers, then that’s just a plus. </p>
<hr/><p>The three days passed fairly quickly and by the time the tributes started to go back to the their floors they were shrinking away from him. Except the careers of course. </p><p>“Tomorrow you will have your private sessions with the game makers,” Miley said as they ate dinner, “This is the time for you to give them everything you’ve got. Show off. Don’t hold back, don’t stay at one station for the entire session, there not going to give you a high mark for being good at one thing. And as careers you’re trained in more than one area. If you want loads of sponsors, you need to amaze the game makers,” Miley said. Cato nodded at her speech. </p><p>He lay in the bed thinking about what he would do to impress the game makers. ‘Don't hold back’, Miley’s voice went through his head. </p><p>Sword was an obvious skill to show, spear too probably and anything else he could do perfectly. </p><p>It went girl tribute then boy tribute, starting with district 1 and ending with district 12. Cato would be near the front of the line, but he would have to wait a few hours before the scores would go up. That was the worst part. </p>
<hr/><p>Cato sat in a room with all the other tributes waiting for the girl from one to be called up. </p><p>“Glimmer, district 1,” a mechanical voice said. Glimmer stood up and walked towards the training center. </p><p>Brooks, district 1,” the mechanical voice said about 15 minutes later. </p><p>“Ellie, district 2,” another 15 minutes later. </p><p>“Cato, district 2.” Cat one jumped up and walked towards the training center. </p><p>The game makers sat on a balcony above him, like they had for the past 3 days. </p><p>Cato went straight to the swords and began to slash at them. He didn’t stopped until the dummies where in pieces around his feet. Next, he went to the spears, and threw them, hitting the middle of the target every time. Next, he went to one of the parkour courses and ran it perfectly.</p><p>”Thank you Cato, we’ve seen all we need, the scores will be up shortly,” Seneca Crane said dismissing Cato. </p>
<hr/><p>He walked into the second floor where the rest of the district 2 crew sat in the tv area. </p><p>“How’d it go?” Brutus asked when he saw Cato exit the elevator. </p><p>“Pretty good,” Cato said leaning in the doorway like he had when they had watched the reapings. </p><p>“Well you both have a couple hours before they announce the scores. We'll come find you when they get ready to announce the scores,” Brutus said. Cato nodded and walked to his room. He got into the shower and hit a button to make to water stream and hit another to make the water cold, trying to cool off and shower off the sweat all over his body. </p><p>He showered for about 20 minutes before getting dressed again and then heading to the kitchen for a pre-dinner snack. </p><p>Walking into the kitchen he found Ellie drinking water. </p><p>“What do you think you got?” She asked. </p><p>“Not gonna get my hopes up,” he said grabbing an apple out of a bowl on the counter. </p><p>“I’m sure knives will be proud no matter what,” Ellie said with a smirk and a glint in her eyes. </p><p>“Who?” Cato asked biting into the apple. </p><p>“Clove,” Ellie said. </p><p>“Why do you keep bringing up Clove?” Cato asked biting into the apple again. </p><p>“Just want you to admit it,” Ellie said. </p><p>“What?” Cato asked. </p><p>“You and her,” Ellie said smirking. </p><p>“If your so certain there’s something going on between us, then why do you need me to say anything?” Cato asked.</p><p>Just as Ellie was about to open her mouth Oceana came sealing into the room, “Ahh, Cato, Ellie, that was easier then I thought, it’s time for the scores!” She squealed. Ellie and Cato followed her into the tv area. </p><p>Ceasar Filckerman appeared on the screen, “Each tributes has been rated on a score from 1-12 over 3 days of careful evaluation. District 1 Glimmer with a score of 8, Marvel with a score of 9, district 2 Ellie with a score of 9, Cato with a score of 10.” Cheers erupted from the stylists, prep teams, Oceana and mentor. Ellie had a big smile and Cato grinned proudly.</p><p>They celebrated until they heard Caesar say “12.”</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Interview!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Sit straighter, Brutus said making Cato sit straighter in his chair. </p><p>“You have to charm the capitol, make them adore you, make them love you so much they can’t let you go,” Brutus said circling Cato. He was instructing Cato on how to act during his interview. </p><p>“Act confident, cocky, fierce, vicious, not only show the capitol but the tributes that you are not to be messed with, that they don’t want to met you in the area,” Brutus said sitting down across from him in the tv area. </p><p>“Now let’s talk about Clove.” Shock took over Cato’s face, he hadn’t been expecting Clove to be apart of anything. </p><p>“What?” Cato asked. </p><p>“I told you I’ve heard the rumours, I’ve even trainers talk about the possibility of something going on between you two,” Brutus said making Cato curse inwardly. He had been sure that the trainers had been kept in the dark about him and Clove. Relationships in district 2 were frowned upon while you were in training. And people in 2 rarely married for love. </p><p>“Are they true?” Brutus asked. </p><p>“Might be,” Cato said not looking at him. </p><p>“If you tell me the truth this might be able to help you Cato,” Brutus said. </p><p>“It could? How?” Cato asked to make sure Brutus wasn’t bluffing. </p><p>“A girlfriend to get back to,” Brutus said. </p><p>“A fiancée,” Cato corrected. </p><p>“You’re engaged?” Brutus asked surprised. </p><p>“Yup,” Cato said. </p><p>“Well this might make it even better then,” Brutus said. </p><p>“Really?” Cato asked. </p><p>“The capitol will most likely want to give you a wedding,” Brutus said, “Is she planning on volunteering?”</p><p>”Next year,” Cato said automatically. </p><p>“Good, this could help her as well. If you two are married by the time of next years games then the capitol could side with her since she’s married to a victor,” Brutus said, “But do not bring her up, only talk about her if Caesar asks.” </p><p>Cato nodded not knowing what to say, Brutus was one of the most vicious tributes who had ever been in the games and Cato was admitting to him that he was 18 and engaged, that was definitely not liked in 2. </p><p>“Don’t worry, you’re the only one in 2 with a hidden relationship,” Brutus said making Cato snap his head up to face him. </p><p>“You?” Cato asked, Brutus nodded, “Who?” </p><p>“Another previous victor,” Brutus said. </p><p>“That really narrows it down,” Cato said sarcastically. </p><p>“I mentored her and watched her go in the games, ripping out people’s throats,” Brutus said. </p><p>“Enobaria?” Cato asked raising his eyebrows. Brutus nodded. Before Cato could say anything else Rosalyn appeared in the doorway. </p><p>“If you're done with him, we’d like to start getting him ready,” she said. </p><p>“Of course, we’re all done here,” Brutus said with a wave of his hand. Cato stood up and followed Rosalyn down the hall to his room. </p><p>Inside they had set up a chair and tables around it full of bottles. Cato was sure he didn’t want to know what was in them. </p><p>“Bathroom,” Rosalyn said pointing towards the bathroom as she went and stood beside the tables and read the labels on the bottles. Cato walked into the bathroom where his prep team was. </p><p>The blue guy pointed to a tub, that Cato was certain hadn’t been there before, full of pink water again. Cato sighed as he pulled off his shirt, more pink water, really?</p><p>He got into the tub and his prep team started washing his hair and scrubbing him down again. </p><p>He spent less time in the tub than last time which he was grateful for. </p><p> He sat down in the chair in his room and Rosalyn and the green guy got to work. They styled his hair and put a bit of make up on him. Then the blue and orange guys came in holding a grey suit. </p><p>Cato put on the grey pants, a black button up dress shirt and the grey suit jacket. The shirt left open collar. </p><p>He walked out of his room to find Ellie walking out of hers in a floor length dark blue dress that had a low neck line. </p><p>Their stylists led them to the elevator and down a few floors where the doors opened to a hallway. </p><p>“Walk down the hall and through the door at the end that will take you back stage,” Ellie’s stylist instructed. Cato and Ellie stepped out of the elevator and the doors shut taking their stylist up. Looking in front of them they saw a door about 20 feet in front of them. </p><p>When they stepped through it they were quickly ushered into a line where most of the other tributes were. They were put at the front as district 1 had yet to arrive. Ellie stood at the front in front of Cato, district 4 stood behind him but he payed little attention to them. </p><p>A few minutes later district 1 showed up and a couple minutes after the line was complete. Every tribute was in the line, girl then boy. </p><p>“Ladies and gentlemen, you’re host for the evening, Caesar Filckermen,” a voice introduced. The stage lights turned on and Caesar sat on a plush chair on the stage. His hair a dark blue almost like Ellie’s dress. </p><p>He did his speech to the crowd a little before announcing Glimmer onto the stage. She walked up the stairs to the stage in a small almost see through dress. It was obvious that her angle would be ditzy blonde. </p><p>3 minutes went by quickly and soon the district 1 male, Brooks, was being called up. Shortly after was Ellie and then Cato. </p><p>He walked confidently onto the stage and shook hands with Caesar. </p><p>“Cato, welcome. How are you liking your time in the capitol so far?” Caesar asked as they sat down in the chair.</p><p>“It’s pretty good so far, I like it,” Cato replied. </p><p>“Now Cato, you got a ten in training. So does that mean that you are someone to be feared in the area?” Caesar asked.</p><p>“Absolutely. I’ve trained my entire life, I’m vicious and if you get in my way of victory I will not show you mercy,” Cato said. Caesar looked towards the crowd a scared expression on his face, but Cato knew he was just acting for the crowd. </p><p>“Cato I’m in your way now am I?” Caesar asked.</p><p>“No, no, you’re good Caesar,” Cato laughed.</p><p>“Now Cato, you’re a good looking strong man, is there a special someone back home?” Caesar asked. </p><p>“Why is that an offer?” Cato asked making the capitol laugh, “Cause Caesar I’ll tell you your a good looking man but I just don’t feel that way towards you.”</p><p>”Oh well I am just heart broken,” Caesar said clutching his chest and laughing. </p><p>“Ya, but ah yes, there, there is somebody back home,” Cato said. </p><p>“Really?” Caesar said with a big smile. </p><p>“Yes, my ugh, my fiancée,” Cato said. </p><p>“Fiancée?! Well tell us about her!” Caesar said. </p><p>“Ugh well, her names Clove, she’s terrifying,” Cato said and the capitol laughed. </p><p>“Is she going to volunteer?” Caesar asked. </p><p>“Yes,” Cato nodded. </p><p>“So I’ll get to meet her lovely. How old is she?” Caesar asked. </p><p>“16” Cato answered. </p><p>“How long have you been together and when the wedding?” Caesar asked smiling. </p><p>“Um, about 2, 3 years now I believe. And we have not planned it,” Cato said. </p><p>“You haven’t planned it?” Caesar said shocking horrified. </p><p>“No, I proposed when she came to say goodbye to me,” Cato explained. </p><p>“Oh! So your newly engaged,” Caesar exclaimed. Cato nodded as the bell rang. </p><p>“Oh well I guess are time is up and as much as I would like to continue talking with you Cato we just have to move on,” Caesar said holding out his hand as they stood up. Cato shook Caesar’s hand and walked off the other side of the stage. </p><p>As he walked down the stairs on the other side of the stage Ellie smirked at him and murmured “Knew it,” to him as he stood next to her. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Review!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Time for the games!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cato, for the second time since he got to the capitol, stormed through the door of the second floor. That stupid district 12 boy said he loved his district partner. Loved her!</p><p>For once in his life Cato let a small amount of fear fall upon him. He knew that the sponsors would love a love story in the area. That outshone him saying that he was engaged. </p><p>Cato stormed into his room and shoved all the useless capitol crap off the top of the random shelf in his room. He stood in the middle of his room, eyes closed and remembered the last time he had seen Clove. Just in cause it had been the last time he would ever see her.</p><p>She was being dragged from the room by peacekeepers. Her hair in a ponytail likes always, her signature smirk on her face. It had been right after she had agreed to marry him. His eyes snapped opened a new certainty flowing through his veins. District 12 wasn't going to beat him, he was the best fighter in district 2 and he was going to win the games and get back to 2 and marry Clove. </p><p>"Dinner!" Oceana yelled from the hallway. Cato walked out into the kitchen and sat down next to Ellie and Rosalyn, who had joined them for dinner this time along with Ellie's stylist. </p><p>"Any advice for the arena?" Ellie asked. </p><p>"The first thing you do is find weapon, that's your first priority, after that start killing," Miley said. </p><p>"Focus on getting rid of as many tributes as you can in the bloodbath. The tributes from the lower districts are most likely to head to the cornucopia, they'll be easy to get rid of," Brutus said. </p><p>"Hunt as often as you can, that way you'll be out of there in no time," Miley said with a pointed look at Cato. She thought he was going to win. </p><p>"Get to sleep as early as you can, it'll be a early day tomorrow," Brutus said. </p><p>After Cato finished his dinner he went straight to bed. </p>
<hr/><p>Cato, Ellie, Brutus, Miley and the stylists sat at the table eating breakfast. </p><p>"Stick with the careers for as long as you can, traveling in groups is safer than going on your own when there's more tributes in the arena," Miley said. Cato and Ellie nodded as they ate what could be there last capitol meal.</p>
<hr/><p>Cato sat in a chair that his prep team had put in his room. </p><p>"Why do you have to style me before I go into the arena, it's not it will last long anyway. We're about to go into a huge fight," Cato said as Rosalyn put gel into his hair. </p><p>"We make you look good for while you stand there waiting for it all to begin," Rosalyn said. </p><p>"I always look good," Cato scoffed. </p><p>"With my help of course," Rosalyn said. </p><p>"I haven't had your help for the past 18 years and I've looked perfect," Cato said. </p><p>"Sure," Rosalyn said finishing his hair, "Bring in his outfit," she called. The prep team walked in holding Cato's arena outfit. </p><p>Cato took off his clothes and put on the dark orange shirt and pulled on the murky green pants.</p><p>"Let's get going," Rosalyn said. Rosalyn led him to the elevators where they met up with Brutus who led Cato up to the top of the building where a hovercraft was waiting for them.</p><p>"This is as far as I go, but I will do everything I can to keep you alive in that arena Cato. You have the strength, the training and the blood lust to win this," Brutus said turning to face Cato a few feet away from the hovercraft. </p><p>Cato nodded and walked towards the hovercraft. </p><p>Inside all the tributes sat in the hovercraft as avox's inserted their trackers into their arms. </p><p>After the tracker was inside his arm, Cato leaned forward putting his elbows on his knees and took a look at his competition. Ellie sat at the other end of the hovercraft next to Katniss. She looked over at Cato and smirked at him excitedly. </p><p>The lights dimmed as the hovercraft took off and headed for the arena. </p><p>Cato was led into the underground room where he would go into the arena. Inside stood Rosalyn. </p><p>"Can't get away from me, huh?" Cato smirked. </p><p>"I'm with you until you get into the arena, and if you get out," Rosalyn said taking a dark orange reddish jacket off of a rack behind her. </p><p>"So basically, I'm stuck with you until death," Cato said taking the jacket from her. </p><p>"Pretty much," Rosalyn said. </p><p>"Joy," Cato said sarcastically making Rosalyn glare at him. </p><p>"60 seconds," a mechanic voice said. </p><p>"I'll see you soon," Rosalyn said as Cato walked over to the clear tube. He stood on the silver circle on the ground and the tube shoot up around him. </p><p>He nodded to Rosalyn who nodded back at him just before the tube rose taking him into the arena.</p>
<hr/><p>Cato squinted in the bright light as Caesar's voice surrounded him, "Ladies and gentlemen let the 74th hunger games begin". He scanned the arena taking in the forest in front of him and the wheat field behind him. He scanned the cornucopia looking for weapons. A couple feet in front of him was a knife that he could easily grab. In front of that was a spear and then close to the cornucopia was a sword. He would grab the knife and use that to take out any tributes on his way to the spear and then get to the sword which he would use to take out most of the tributes with. </p><p>He looked at the clock that had 20 seconds left on it. He smirk as the feeling of adrenaline starting to flow through his veins like always before a fight was coming. </p><p>The gong sounded and Cato leaped froward and ran towards the knife glittering in the sunlight. He grabbed it and sunk it into the side of the district 5 boy who had been next him. He took out the district 6 girl just before he got to the spear and threw that into the chest of the district 9 boy. As he gripped the sword he smirked at the feeling of a sword in his hand once again. He scanned the arena taking in the sight of blood and dead bodies that had already started littering the ground. He ran forward and slashed the district 7 boy and girl and the blood bath came to an end. </p><p>Glimmer and the district 1 boy, Brooks, Dierks the district 4 boy and Melinda, the district 4 girl came to stand by him. </p><p>"Not bad," Cato said surveying the grounds around him taking in all the blood and bodies.</p><p>"Where's Ellie?" Melinda asked and it was then when Cato realized that Ellie wasn't standing with them. </p><p>"She get killed?" Glimmer asked with a smirk. </p><p>"Maybe," Cato said looking around the arena. </p><p>"Cato! Come look at what I found!" Ellie said appearing from behind the cornucopia a smirk on her face. The group of careers walked around the cornucopia to where Ellie stood pointing a knife towards the ground. As Cato walked up to her side he saw what her knife was pointed at, Loverboy. </p><p>"Well, well, well, look at what we have here," Cato said smirking. </p><p>"I figured we make a show out of him," Ellie said smirking. Cato smirk widened as he pointed his sword at loverboy's throat. </p><p>"Ready to die Loverboy?" Cato asked blood lust fueling his veins. </p><p>"I can help you," Peeta said his gaze on the sword at his throat. </p><p>"How?" Ellie scoffed. </p><p>"I can help you find Katniss, I know her strategies, I know where she'll go," Peeta said. Cato looked at him skeptically, weighing the pros and cons. He looked over at Ellie who looked at him and shrugged. </p><p>"Alright," Cato said pulling back his sword, "But one wrong move and you're dead." Peeta nodded as he stood.</p><p>"Gather the food and supplies, find out what we have and divide it up," Cato ordered already taking charge. He walked off with a pointed look at Peeta, a warning. </p><p>As Dierks, Brooks and Melinda started going through the supplies as Glimmer and Ellie watched Peeta enjoying watching the boy squirm under their heavy gazes. Cato watched them all and kept his eyes on the forest and wheat field for any stupid tributes who might try to attack them. </p><p>The hovercrafts came in while Dierks, Brooks and Melinda divided the supplies away from the cornucopia and took all the bodies of the fallen. </p><p>The cannons started right after the last body disappeared. Cato counted the booms as they filled the arena. </p><p>11. </p><p>Cato smirked, the numbers almost never got that high just from the bloodbath and the careers starting cheering after the cannons ended. </p><p>"What do we got?" Cato asked walking over to Dierks, Brooks and Melinda. </p><p>"Everything we could possibly need," Brooks said. </p><p>"Perfect," Cato said surveying the amount of food and water and storage that Dierks, Brooks and Melinda had divided up. </p><p>"Rest up!" Cato yelled, "The second the sun goes down we hunt!" </p><p>"Don't we have enough food?" Peeta said quietly. </p><p>"We're not hunting for animals Loverboy," Ellie said smirking and walked away. </p><p>Cato and Brooks set up tents and Dierks and Ellie filled up backpacks with supplies while Glimmer and Melinda watched over Peeta. </p><p>By the time there were set up the sun had set. </p><p>"Let's get going!" Cato yelled as he, Brooks, Dierks and Ellie grabbed the flashlights as Glimmer and Melinda lit torches. They all grabbed backpacks full of supplies and started towards the forest. </p><p>They walked through the forest looking for tributes with Cato in the lead. Ellie and Brooks directly behind him, Melinda and Dierks behind them with Glimmer and Peeta in the back, talking softly. </p><p>Cato suddenly stopped his head snapping to the side. He had stopped so fast that Brooks and Ellie bumped into him. </p><p>"What the hell?" Brooks asked annoyed. </p><p>"Shush," Cato snapped, "Over there." He pointed through some of the trees where a glow was coming from. </p><p>"Well, that's go have some fun," Ellie said. They quietly walked towards the fire that the tribute had set. </p><p>Cato purposely stepped on a branch as they showed up next to her. Her head snapped to the side at the sound, terror overtaking her face. Cato pulled his sword out of his belt and stepped forward.</p><p>He put his sword in the fire and looked over at the girl, "Didn't your mentors tell you not to light a fire. It's probably one of the stupidest things you could do." He pulled his sword out of the fire and turned towards her. He towered over her since she was sitting on the ground. </p><p>"Please, please don't," she begged. </p><p>"Time to die," Ellie said enthusiastically and Cato sent his sword right threw her stomach making her scream. </p><p>The careers whooped and hollered as they walked away from the bleeding girl.  </p><p>"Look here," Peeta said pointing to the ground. </p><p>"What is it?" Dierks asked coming to stand next to him. </p><p>"It's a snare, Katniss'," Peeta said, "She went this way."</p><p>"Perfect," Cato said smirking. </p><p>"Did you hear her?" Ellie laughed as they walked. </p><p>"Please, please don't," Glimmer said mockingly. They all laughed. </p><p>"Loverboy, you sure she went this way?" Cato asked looking back at Peeta. </p><p>"Ya, that was her snare we found back there," Peeta said coming to stand behind him. Cato nodded and kept walking. </p><p>"Shouldn't we have heard a cannon by now," Brooks said making everyone turn to look at him. Cato walked towards him, a glare on his face, </p><p>"She's dead," he said anger starting to rise. </p><p>"Then where the cannon? Maybe she isn't dead," Brooks said. </p><p>"I struck her myself," Cato said angrily and they all started yelling. </p><p>"Enough, we're wasting time!" They all turned to look at Peeta, surprised that he had said anything at all.</p><p>"I'll go see if she's dead and then we can move on," Peeta said and walked back to were they had come from. </p><p>"Let's just kill him now," Glimmer said looking at Cato. </p><p>"We'll keep him around for now. He'll lead us to her and then we'll kill him," Cato said. They all lapsed into silence as they waiting for Peeta to return. </p><p>"Was she dead?" Cato asked as Peeta joined them. </p><p>"No, but she is now," Peeta said and a cannon proved it. </p><p>"Let's move on!" Cato said angrily and got back to the front of the group and they continued on. </p><p>Without knowing that their worse threat, Katniss Everdeen, was sitting in the trees above them. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Clove's perspective, watching the games.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clove sat on her couch at home in district 2 watching as Cato ordered around the group of careers. She knew that he would self-appoint himself as their leader. </p><p>She watched the games day and night never letting anything happen without her knowing. If something was going to happen to Cato she was going to know about it right away. </p><p>It was the morning after their walk in the woods where they had found the girl from district 8, who had stupidly light a fire in the middle of the night drawing the careers right to her. </p><p>The careers were at their camp, Glimmer and Melinda had seemed to have become friends and were talking with Peeta, for reasons that Clove couldn't understand. Brooks and Dierks were asleep in the tents that they had set up the day before. And Cato was at the front line of the forest throwing a spear into the bark of a tree repeatedly. </p><p>Suddenly a tree fell a couple feet away from Cato making him jump back from the tree he had just pulled his spear out of. He walked backwards a couple steps watching as fire overtook the forest. Melinda and Glimmer came to stand next to him watching as a part of the forest turned into flames. </p><p>The screen changed to show Katniss running through the forest trying to avoid the flaming balls of fire. </p><p>Clove laughed silently at the thought, fire balls just for the girl on fire. The game makers were using their heads this year. </p><p>The screen changed again to show the boy and girl from 5 running through a different part of the forest in a different direction then Katniss. It followed them until the fire stopped. </p><p>The screen then changed again to Katniss running again, but from what, Clove wondered. The fire had stopped, why was she still running? That's when she heard the cheers and Cato came into the screen, the careers a few feet behind him, chasing Katniss. They had found her, perfect. Clove smirked, finally Fire Girl was finally going to get what she deserved for trying to outshine Cato. </p><p>Clove's smirked faded when Katniss climbed the tree, the careers coming to a stop at the bottom, while the careers smirked up at her thinking she was trapped. </p><p>"How are you doing?" Katniss called down to them from her spot 20 feet in the air. Clove knew it was all for show, but Cato's smirked fell slightly. </p><p>"Well enough, yourself?" Cato called up. </p><p>"It's been a bit warm for my taste," Katniss said and the camera picked up on Glimmer saying "ya no kidding". </p><p>"The air's better up here, why don't you come up?" Katniss called down again. </p><p>"Think I will," Cato said causing Clove to worry a bit. Cato wasn't the worst climber, but he wasn't the best either. And trying to climb a tree whose branches got smaller the higher up you got probably wasn't the best tree for Cato to be climbing, but of course he did. </p><p>"Take this Cato," Glimmer said holding her bow out for Cato as he stepped towards the tree. </p><p>"No, I'll do better with my sword," Cato said grabbing one of the branches. He climbed up probably 15 feet or so when a branch broke beneath him and he fell straight to the ground, making Clove wince, she knew this would damage Cato's ego a bit. Fire girl was now probably 30, 35 feet in the air. Clove could see the growing anger on Cato's face he stood up, glaring fiercely up at Katniss. </p><p>Glimmer tried next, climbing 20 feet in the air before stopping and trying to shoot at Katniss but missed by at least 10 feet. Clearly she sucked at shooting. </p><p>"We need a plan, this is idiotic," Cato said and an argument broke out once again among the careers as they tried to decide what to do to get Katniss out of the tree. All of there ideas were crap until Peeta spoke up, once again surprising the careers, "Oh, just let her stay up there. It's not like she can go anywhere, it's either come down or strave to death, we'll just deal with her then." It wasn't a bad idea and Clove applauded Peeta on his smart idea that she didn't think he was capable of. </p><p>She watched Cato's face, he was clearly trying to decide whether to use loverboy's idea or not, and Clove hoped that he wouldn't be an idiot and use loverboy's plan because it was better then anything the rest of them were coming up with. </p><p>"Alright fine, someone make a fire," Cato growled and walked away, Clove guessed it was to let out some of his anger out, probably on some trees or something, but Clove didn't find out what since the cameras never followed him. Instead they watched Katniss as she attempted to tend to a wound she had gotten from the fire. </p><p>Clove glared at the tv as a sponsor's gift came floating down. How was she getting sponsor gifts when the careers hadn't gotten any. But it was only the second day in the arena, there was still lots to come. </p><p>Darkness quickly fell over the arena the careers still sitting under the tree that Katniss had yet to come down from. </p><p>The screen changed to show the boy from district 10 who was hiding in the wheat field part of the arena, he wasn't doing much and Clove guessed he would die of hunger in the next couple of days since he had close to no food. </p><p>She counted on her fingers who was left, all of the careers, Katniss, Peeta, the small girl from 11, the boy from 10, both from 7 had somehow managed to get out of the bloodbath and both from 5 who had teamed up. That was all. Not many left and it was only the second day. </p><p>The screen changed from 10 to the two from five running deeper into the forest, they probably had seen to careers chasing after Katniss and were getting as far away from them as possible. </p><p>The screen changed back to Katniss sitting high up in her tree looking down at the careers who were all sitting around the fire. The screen changed to get a closer view on them, Clove watched as Cato pulled his sword out of the fire and spat on it making a sizzle. Glimmer giggled and said, "Boys," making Cato look over at her an amused expression on his face. Clove glared at the tv, anger starting to rise in her veins. She didn't necessarily like Glimmer even though she had never met her, but she never really liked any girl like Glimmer, and she especially didn't like the look in Glimmer eye as she looked at Cato. What was surprising was what Ellie said next, </p><p>"Cool it Glimmer, he's engaged. Or did you not watch his interview." </p><p>"So? She's not here," Glimmer said making Clove's fury rise to higher levels. </p><p>"She'd kick your ass if she was. That girl is pretty scary," Ellie said and Clove saw the grin starting to form on Cato's face in the back round. </p><p>"Whatever," Glimmer said rolling her eyes. </p><p>"What else about this girl? She hot?" Dierks asked with a grin. </p><p>"Watch it," Cato growled, grin disappearing instantly. </p><p>"What? Just wondering," Dierks said still grinning. </p><p>"I'm not answering that," Cato said turning his attention back to his sword. </p><p>The screen went to the two from 7 who had for some reason also teamed up. They were in the wheat field with 10. They weren't doing anything though, they were both asleep behind some bushes. Clove immediately saw their error, in the hunger games you always needed to have a guard, at any time someone could show up and kill you. That's why no one almost never slept in the arena.  Clove knew that with stupidity like that, they would both be dead soon. </p><p>The screen changed back to the careers who were all lying down on the ground aside from Glimmer who was still sitting, it looked like she had been appointed as look out. Clove watched as the screen zoomed in on Cato lying down and pulling his sword closer to him. </p><p>Basically the whole arena was asleep and that was enough to put Clove to sleep as well.</p>
<hr/><p>Clove woke up as the sun shined through the window of the living room in her house. Neither of her parents were home, probably both out watching the games in the middle of town or at another victor's house. She hadn't seen them for a few days, the last time would have been when they had come home after the tributes interviews. They had sat her down in the kitchen, her dad's face covered in anger and her mom's had traces of anger but not as much. Out of both her parents she liked her mom better. Clove's father would hit her often and her mother wouldn't, even though she did nothing to stop it. Clove was afraid that was going to happen since Cato had come out and said her name on live tv saying that they were engaged. She knew her parents were going to give her a big long talk about why she shouldn't be around him, since he was the son of some of their worst enemies. Clove didn't know exactly why her parents hated Cato's, they had never really told her anything except for the part of the hating them with a burning passion.</p><p>She was right. Her parents, or more her dad, had talked for 3 hours, non stop, about why she shouldn't be seeing him and that they would all be done a favor if Cato died in that arena. Clove had gotten mad, but she didn't say anything. And she had been right again, her dad had hit her around a bit before leaving the house. Clove still had a few bruises on her arms and face from it. </p><p>"Clove? Were you down here all night?" Clove turned her head to see her little sister, Serena coming down the stairs. </p><p>"Ya, I was," Clove replied as Serena came and climbed onto the couch next to her. Serena was small for her age just like Clove was. She was 8 and had just started training, but Clove knew that she would never volunteer, Serena was too soft and too kind for the games, unlike Clove. </p><p>There wasn't training in 2 during the games since it was mandatory for everyone to watch, but they training centers were still open for kids to practice in.</p><p>"Has anything happened?" Serena asked. </p><p>"There was a big forest fire, the careers found Katniss, but she climbed up a tree so they can't to her. Besides from that nothing too exciting," Clove answered. </p><p>"Why don't they just climb the tree and get her?" Serena said like the answer to their problem was obvious. </p><p>"They tried. Cato fell out of it," Clove said laughing a bit at the memory. </p><p>The careers were still asleep, Glimmer had stupidly fallen asleep before waking anyone else to take watch so right now if someone came across them, they could all be dead in minutes. Fire girl however, was awake and looking over into the tree next to the one she was in. </p><p>The camera angle switched and the audience would now see what Katniss was looking at. </p><p>The girl from 11. </p><p>She was pointing to something higher up in Katniss' tree. </p><p>The camera angle switched again to show the nest of tracker jackers a few branches above Katniss' head. </p><p>The screen changed to show Caesar Filckermen and Claudius Templesmith sitting behind a desk. </p><p>"Now Claudius, those look like trackers jackers to me, correct?" Caesar said. </p><p>"Yes, they do," Claudius said. </p><p>"For those who don't know what tracker jackers are, they're genetically engineered wasps who's venom can make you hallucinate, and in the worse cases, can sometimes end with death," Caesar said, but Clove already knew this. They learned all about the kinds of mutts the game makers could put into the arena in there classes. </p><p>The screen went back to the arena to show Katniss trying to cut the branch the tracker jackers nest was hanging from. Clove knew that if she succeeded the careers, Cato, would be attacked by tracker jackers. </p><p>The branch broke and the nest fell and opened right in the middle of the careers. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of wasp appearing, waking the careers. They all starting running, but not all of them made it too far. </p><p>Glimmer and Melinda, who had been closest to Katniss' tree didn't get too far when they fell to the ground writhing underneath the tracker jackers. They were both dead by the time Katniss' feet hit the ground. </p><p>She stumbled over to where Glimmer now lay dead, bow and arrows still in her possession. Clove watched as Katniss wrestled the bow out of Glimmer's hand and pulled the bag of arrows out from under her, before swinging them over her shoulder and stumbled away or at least tried to, she had been stung a few times before the nest had dropped. </p><p>Katniss stumbled as she stood and it wasn't long until Peeta came running up to her, screaming at her to run. </p><p>"I knew he wouldn't stick with them," Clove muttered to Serena, making her look over at her sister.</p><p>As Katniss got further away, Peeta went in the other direction and ran into Cato, who had clearly seen his interaction with Katniss. Clove could tell by his wobbly stance and looser then normal grip on his sword that he had been stung lots and was most likely not seeing clearly. When Cato sliced Peeta's thigh instead of going higher for a more fetal shot that he was hallucinating. Clove just hoped that not too much venom was in his system that he would die from the poison. </p><p>She watched as Cato turned around from Peeta who had fallen to the ground and stumbled his way back towards the lake that they had all originally been running to. </p><p>The screen changed to the wheat field where the two from 7 seemed to be sneaking there way closer and closer to the boy from 10. They both had knives while he was left unarmed. They made another mistake of coming up in front of him in stead of behind him so they had to fight him a bit, but all of them were untrained and unskilled at combat so the fight didn't last long. And 10 ended up with a knife in his chest.</p><p>3 cannons went off, Clove presumed that they other two were for Glimmer and Melinda who's cannons had yet to go off. </p><p>"He doesn't have much. We won't have enough food for two people for much longer," the girl from 7 said crouched on the ground looking through 10's things. </p><p>"Then they'll just have to be one person to feed," the boy from 7 said and stabbed his knife into his district partners back, literally. Clove was impressed that he was able to kill his district partner without so much of a second thought. </p><p>A fourth cannon went off.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cato woke up on the grass and mud next to the lake. He had gone there after stabbing Peeta, and had pulled himself out of the water just before he had passed out. </p><p>Looking to his right he could see Ellie lying a few meters away from him back turned towards him. On the other side of Ellie was Brooks lying on his back. Looking to his right he could see Dierks sitting on a log a few feet away from him. </p><p>"Morning," Dierks said when he noticed Cato sit up. </p><p>"How long was I out?" Cato asked. </p><p>"About a day," Dierks replied and before Cato could say anything else Dierks opened his mouth again, "Boy from 10, girl from 7 and uh, Glimmer and Melinda," he said answering Cato's unasked question. </p><p>Cato nodded and pushed himself up to stand, "How long were you out?" </p><p>"Couple hours, I think," Dierks said, "I didn't get stung too bad." Cato nodded again and sat down next to Dierks on the log. Dierks passed him a full canteen and a packet of dried fruit. </p><p>"Thanks," Cato muttered. </p><p>"Fire girls still out there somewhere," Dierks said as Cato opened his canteen.</p><p>"I'm getting tired of her," Cato said bringing the canteen to his mouth. </p><p>"What happened with Loverboy?" Dierks asked. </p><p>"He went back to help her. I had a feeling that he wouldn't abandon her," Cato said, "I know where I cut his though, he should bled out soon if he hasn't died already." Cato wasn't telling the whole truth though, he was only partly sure where he had cut Peeta. The venom in his system had made it so he was seeing more than one Peeta, but he knew that when Peeta had fallen to the ground he had gotten him. He was sure he had stabbed him around the upper thigh, hip area and without proper treatment, that he wasn't going to get, he would bled out in no time. </p><p>A movement in the corner of his eye caught Cato's attention. He turned his head to see Brooks sitting up, bringing a hand to his head. He looked over to see Cato and Dierks and stood to join them. </p><p>Dierks handed him a canteen when he got to them. He took the canteen and sat at their feet. </p><p>"Where's Glimmer?" Brooks asked looking around. </p><p>"She and Melinda didn't make it," Cato informed him. </p><p>"Who else?" Brooks asked taking a sip from the canteen. </p><p>"Girl from 7, boy from 10," Dierks said. </p><p>"Wondered how they died," Brooks mused. </p><p>"Probably starved to death," Dierks said. </p><p>"Or accidentally stabbed themselves with there own knife," Cato mocked, making the other two laugh. </p><p>"I think the boy from 7 somewhere in that field," Dierks said jerking his head towards the wheat field, "Maybe we should pay him a visit." </p><p>"Maybe we should," Cato said staring off towards the field.</p><p>"After we take him out we should find the two from 5, there both in the woods. I'm pretty sure I saw them while we were chasing fire girl," Dierks said. </p><p>"Sounds like a plan," Brooks said. </p><p>After a few minutes of silence, Cato spook up, "Brooks you stay here, Dierks and I will go search the field for 10." </p><p>"What? Why do I have to stay here?" Brooks asked sounding offended. </p><p>"You woke up last and someone needs to stay here with Ellie and guard are supplies," Cato said standing up. </p><p>"We didn't have a guard last time we went hunting," Brooks said standing. </p><p>"Well were not bringing it with us this time, and someone needs to stay here while Ellie's unconscious," Cato said grabbing his sword as Dierks grabbed a spear. </p><p>"She's your district partner you stay here," Brooks said, but immediately stopped talking when Cato glared at him. </p><p>"Dierks, let's go!" Cato said and walked towards the field. </p><p>Cato and Dierks walked for about 5 minutes before they reached the field. They quietly walked through the grass, the tall grass and wheat providing perfect cover for the two tall boys. </p><p>After about 10 minutes of searching, Dierks nudged Cato's arm. Cato looked over at him as he pointed towards an opening in the grass. 7 sat in the clearing, a blue backpack in front of his, drinking out of a canteen. </p><p>Cato pointed to Dierks and then to the right of the boy from 7, then pointed to himself and to the left. </p><p>Dierks went to the right and Cato went to the left. As they neared him, Dierks accidentally stepped on a branch as he got to the edge of the grass. 7's head snapped to the side to look at him. </p><p>Dierks lunged froward attacking 7 before he could stand up, still not knowing that Cato was behind him. Dierks and 7 rolled around a little before Dierks managed to pin 7 down, holding a knife to his throat. </p><p>"Lights out," Dierks said but then lost control over one of 7's arm and 7 stabbed his stomach with a knife that they didn't know he had. </p><p>Dierks fell to the side and just as 7 got to his feet Cato walked up behind him and stabbed his sword threw his back. </p><p>Cato looked at Dierks lying on the grass blood flowing out of his stomach, he could see that Dierks was hanging on, but it wouldn't be for long. He was a goner. </p><p>Cato stood there looking at him before deciding to leave him there and turned around and headed back towards there camp as a cannon sounded. </p><p>When he got there, Ellie still lay on the ground unconscious and Brooks sat on the log that had been previously occupied by Dierks and Cato. </p><p>"Where's Dierks?" Brooks asked grumpily as another cannon went. </p><p>"7 packed a punch, took Dierks out," Cato said wiping his blood covered sword on the grass. Brooks made a sound that sounded like a cross between a laugh and a scoff.</p><p>"Pathetic," Brooks said. </p><p>Cato dropped his sword and grabbed his canteen. He looked over at Ellie after he took a sip. </p><p>"How long do you think she'll be out?" Brooks asked following his gaze. </p><p>"No idea," Cato said distantly. As he looked at the back of Ellie's brunette hair, he couldn't help, but think of how much she looked like Clove from the back. Her hair was almost the same shade as Clove's only Ellie's was a bit lighter, they had the same body type and were almost the same height. Cato had never thought about it before, but now that he couldn't see Ellie's face he couldn't help but see Clove lying there and not Ellie. A strange sense of protectiveness came over Cato as he looked at Ellie. </p><p>He shook himself out of the trance he had seemed to be in and reminded himself over and over that that was Ellie lying there and not Clove. Clove was safe back home in 2. </p><p>"So," Cato said clearing his throat an looking back at Brooks, "When Ellie wakes up we should go find the two from 5." </p><p>"If Ellie doesn't wake up in, let's say, 2 days we should go find them ourselves. Cause let's face it, if she doesn't wake up in 2 days, the probabilities of her waking up are probably close to none," Brooks said. Cato nodded in agreement. </p>
<hr/><p>The next day when the sun was at the top of the sky Ellie moved. Cato who had been down at the lake, a few meters away from her, saw her arm move. </p><p>She pushed herself up onto her elbow as her other arm came up to shield her face from the sun. </p><p>"Hey," Cato said walking up to her when she sat up. </p><p>"Hey," she said drowsily and took Cato's newly filled canteen when he offered it to her. </p><p>"How long have I been out?" Ellie asked. </p><p>"2 days," Cato said standing next to her. </p><p>"What's happened?" Ellie asked.</p><p>"Lots. Glimmer and Melinda both died from the tracker jackers, the boy from 10 and the girl from 7. Dierks was killed by the boy from 7, who's also now dead," Cato informed her and then reached his hand down to help her up. </p><p>"Wow," Ellie said handing him back his canteen. </p><p>"Hey sleeping beauty," Brooks said as Cato and Ellie neared him. Ellie shot him a glare. </p><p>"We were thinking of going after the two from 5 today," Cato said, "Dierks said he had seen them in the woods when we were chasing 12."</p><p>"Alright," Ellie said reaching down for a packet of dried meat.</p><p>After Ellie had eaten they all grabbed their weapons and headed from the woods. They walked through the woods for hours, the two from 5 had hidden themselves well. </p><p>As they walked past a lake, Ellie stopped looking down at the ground at some rocks and patches of moss. </p><p>"Ellie?" Cato called back to her after noticing that she had stopped, "What is it?" </p><p>Ellie stared at the ground for a few seconds longer before calling back to Cato, "Nothing," and walked off. Once again passing by one of their enemies. </p><p>It was almost dark when a flash of movement caught Brooks' eye. </p><p>"Over there!" he yelled and started running in the direction 5 had run of to. Ellie and Cato following close after him. They had gotten close to where 5 had been hiding and they had freaked and run off without thinking.</p><p>The girl was faster then the guy and Brooks quickly took him down. </p><p>"Ellie go after her!" Cato yelled as he stopped to help Brooks. </p><p>"You hid well 5," Brooks said tauntingly as Ellie ran past them. Cato pulled out a knife that he had put in his belt and knelt down next to Brooks. 5 struggled against Brooks when he saw the knife in Cato's hand. </p><p>"Hold him still, would you?" Cato growled to Brooks before slamming his hand onto 5's forehead holding his head down. 5 kicked his legs trying to get free. </p><p>"Stop struggling," Brooks said tightening his hold on 5's shoulders pushing his harder into the ground. </p><p>Cato ran the knife over the side of 5's face before with a flick of his wrist and sliced open his throat. Blood quickly started to stain the ground as Cato and Brooks both stood up. </p><p>They ran about 50 feet before they found Ellie pinning the girl down. They arrived next to her just as a cannon sounded. </p><p>"Hear that? Your partner's dead. We killed him and now it's time for you to follow his footsteps," Ellie said, a smirk on her face. </p><p>"Damn right," Cato said hovering behind Ellie.</p><p>"What do you say?" Ellie said placing one of her hands on 5's neck, "Should we make this quick and painless or draw it out?" </p><p>"Make it last," Cato said moving closer. </p><p>"Alright," Ellie said and tighten her grip on 5's neck. Her other hand went to her victims neck strangling her. Cato stepped on one of her legs as she kicked them wildly. She screamed silently as the sound of a bone snapping filled the air as 5's leg broke under Cato's foot. </p><p>After a bit more of struggling 5 fell limp under Ellie's grasp and the sound of a cannon quickly followed. </p><p>Ellie rolled 5 over and took the backpack off her back. She went through it pulling out canteens and some food. She handed the backpack to Cato and opened a pouch she had found in the bag. </p><p>"Well that took long enough," Brooks said coming to stand next to Cato. </p><p>"Right?" Cato said and looked over at Ellie. </p><p>"Ellie, no! That's night lock!" Cato yelled as Ellie ate a few berries from the pouch. But Cato's warning yell came to late. </p><p>A cannon sounded as Ellie's body fell to the ground in the dark. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Finale time!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cato and Brooks walked back to their camp in silence. Cato couldn't figure out how Ellie didn't realize that those berries were night lock. They took classes back home about that kind of stuff. She should have known. 'maybe she did,' a voice in the back of his head said, but Cato pushed that thought away. </p><p>"Holy crap," Brooks said next to him. Cato who had been looking at the ground while they walked looked up to see the area where they kept most of their food and supplies gone. In it's place was a huge bright fire. </p><p>"What the hell?!" Cato yelled and the two boys ran towards towards the raging fire. They stopped a couple feet away from the fire illuminating the space around them. </p><p>Rage slowly started consuming Cato, he dropped his sword into the grass, his hands clenching in and out of fists at his sides. His chest raised and lowered quickly as he started panting angrily. </p><p>Brooks looked over at him seeing this raging boy next to him and decided that he shouldn't stay too close to him. He had a feeling that Cato was the type of person who took his anger out on anything or anyone near him. </p><p>"I'm gonna run the perimeter, see if I can find who did this," Brooks muttered and ran off but Cato barely heard him through his fog of rage. </p><p>Brooks ran threw the forest not going to far in, seeing if he could find anyone hiding. He was about to go back to the camp and see if Cato had calm down at all when he heard a piercing scream cut through the air, </p><p>"Katniss! Katniss, help! Katniss!" Brooks tighten his grip on the spear that he had yet to put down and ran off in the direction of the voice. </p><p>He didn't go far before he saw the girl from 11 squirming on the ground caught in a net. Brooks slowly and quietly made his way towards her, wondering where the net had come from. </p><p>Shooting out of the trees across from him Fire girl came running. Lover boy slowly jogging and limping behind her. Brooks was surprised that he was still alive, but the way he was limping made it seem he was hurt pretty badly. Cato must have cut him good like he had said. </p><p>He stood hidden by a tree watching as Lover boy stood behind the two girls as Fire girl untangled the girl from 11 and pulled her up. Brooks was surprised when they hugged, but it gave him the perfect chance to get two kills in one throw. </p><p>He stepped out from behind the tree, spear poised to throw, but Katniss' head snapped up at the sound of a branch breaking under his foot and shoved the girl from 11. She grabbed her bow loading it. He threw his spear right before Katniss let go of her arrow. </p><p>The arrow embedded itself just below Brooks heart right after his spear hit the girl from 11's chest. </p><p>Brooks fell to the ground and as he lay there dying he watched Katniss' reaction to the girl from 11 being impaled. Katniss fell to her knees with the girl from 11's head in her lap after pulling out the spear. Blooding quickly started staining her shirt as Brooks was sure the same was happening to his. He watched as Katniss started crying and then started singing as the girl from 11 died. </p><p>Katniss looked over at a patch of white wild flowers a few feet away from where she sat with Rue. </p><p>"Peeta, bring me those flowers," she said in a small voice as Rue's cannon went off. Peeta nodded and went over and picked about 30 of the flowers. He handed them to Katniss, who had moved Rue's head off her lap. She carefully placed all the flowers around Rue. </p><p>The last thing Brooks saw was Rue covered in flowers, making her look more peaceful than she had mere seconds ago.</p><p>Cato knew that when the second cannon went off Brooks wouldn't be coming back to the camp. Which wasn't the worst thing, it just meant he was closer to victory. </p><p>He looked up at the sky as the anthem started. Brooks' face showed up first, then the faces of the two from 5, then the boy from 7 who he had killed this morning, then the girl from 11. Cato was frustrated when the Capitol symbol disappeared without showing either of the faces from 12. Why were they still alive? How were they still alive? Shouldn't lover boy have bled out by now? </p><p>Cato looked back at the fire that had died down, but not completely. All the food and supplies that would help him stay alive was gone. Burned to a pile of ashes. Cato had still had his canteen and some food that he had stashed in his tent, but he knew it wouldn't last long. </p><p>But it was just him and the two from 12, if he was lucky the capitol would push them together in the next day or so. Or maybe he could find them tonight and be out of here by sunrise. </p><p>He bent down to picked up his sword and walked around the fire being careful not to get to close. He climbed into his tent and grabbed his canteen and a couple packs of dried fruit and meat. He filled his canteen in the lake and he ate some of the dried meat while he put some iodine in his water. </p><p>After eating the packets of fruit and meat and drinking most of his canteen, he picked back up his sword and stood up. He started walking towards the forest when Fire girl and Lover boy came running out of the forest towards him. He quickly ducked behind the cornucopia getting cover from them. Peeking around the side of the giant piece of metal he saw giant wolf mutations chasing them. </p><p>He quickly started climbing the side of the cornucopia before the pair of lovers got there. He quickly got to the top of the cornucopia and hid in a shadowed section of the cornucopia waiting for 12 to climb it. And soon enough ms. Katniss Everdeen got to the top. As she knelt on the top of the cornucopia she turned around and reached down to pull up Peeta. </p><p>Cato dropped his sword and quickly lunged out to grab Peeta into a headlock. He stepped back with Peeta as Katniss grabbed her bow, pointing it at Cato and Peeta. Cato could see that she was weaker then her was, he knew looking at her battered body that he was going to win this. He was going to go home. </p><p>"What are you going to do?" Cato asked, "Shot me? Shot me and he goes down with me." Katniss just stood there staring at him. They stood there watching each other waiting for someone to make the first move.</p><p>Cato decided to get her attention, he threw his arm to the side and Peeta went flying off the cornucopia and into the pack of mutts who were still clumped on the ground. </p><p>"Peeta!" Katniss cried out and released the arrow. It went flying towards Cato, but with his years of training he easily avoided it and tackled Katniss to the ground. They rolled around a bit until Katniss got on top, pinning Cato down. She looked down at him, she had lost her bow and arrows while she fought with Cato, and was now left unarmed. Cato easily got out of the position though and even though he was also unarmed he didn't need a weapon to make a kill. He easily snapped her neck with his hands. Katniss hit the ground with her head at a weird angle and a cannon went off signally her death. </p><p>A smirk crossed his face as Claudius Templesmith's voiced boomed through the arena, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the winner of the 74th hunger games, Cato Hirsh!" </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Cato's a victor! I'm sorry if it seems that I rushed this a bit. We'll have a Clato reunion in the next chapter and soon it will be Clove's turn to become a victor!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cato walked onto the stage, the roaring crowd in front of him. Getting out of the arena had almost been a blur, it had gone by so quickly. The hovercraft that pulled him out, the doctor looking him over, seeing his stylist and mentors again.</p><p>Now it was the night after he had gotten out and he was walking back onto the stage towards Caesar Flickermen. </p><p>"Cato, welcome back," Caesar said shaking his hand and motioning for Cato to sit on the white plush chair. </p><p>"So Cato, you did it. You've won the hunger games. How does it feel?" Caesar asked his first question. </p><p>"To be a victor? It feels amazing. It's victory, I've worked for this my entire life and it's finally happened. It feels incredible," Cato said. </p><p>"I bet it does. Now in the arena you seemed a bit shaken up when Ellie died. Did you know her back home?" Caesar asked. </p><p>"Not personally, no," Cato replied. </p><p>"You seemed shaken up about her death?" Caesar pushed. </p><p>"Honestly?" Caesar nodded, encouraging him to go on, "Honestly, she reminded me of Clove." </p><p>"Ahh, yes. Now, Clove. You're going to go back to district 2 and get married. Are you ready?" Caesar asked. </p><p>"I hope so, if I say otherwise, I shouldn't go back to 2 because she'll beat me up, but yes I-I am ready," Cato said and the audience laughed a bit. </p><p>"Was she dropping hints or..." Caesar asked. </p><p>"She was not, no. She seemed pretty surprised, took a while for her to answer. I think, she might have been thinking about hitting me," Cato said making the audience laugh again, "But I think she's happy about it. I hope." </p><p>"Yes, well, we'll all be on the edge of are seats waiting to hear about your wedding. Won't we folks?" Caesar said turning towards the audience who immediately started screaming. </p><p>"Well let's watch the recaps shall we?" Caesar said turning to face he screen behind them. </p><p>Cato didn't focus much on the recaps, why would he? He lived it. He watched Ellie and Brooks' deaths, they were the people he was closest with in the arena, even if it didn't seem like it.  </p><p>The recaps soon ended and Cato and Caesar stood up, shook hands once again and Cato walked off the stage. </p><p>Cato met up with Brutus and Miley, who couldn't seem to stop smiling, back stage. They both seemed very happy that district 2 had another victor. They rode the elevator back up to floor 2 where Rosalyn and Oceana were. Ellie's old stylist was no where in sight. </p><p>"We'll leave for the train station in a hour, so get changed, relax, whatever, but meet us right here in an hour," Miley said. Cato nodded and followed Rosalyn back to his room. </p><p>She stopped outside his room, "I've some clothes on your bed, there more comfortable and seem like something you would where, but fancy enough for you welcome home celebration," Rosalyn said with a smile. </p><p>"Thank you," Cato said genuinely, "For everything." </p><p>"Don't thank me yet. We still have years together. Or did you forget that you're stuck with me for life," Rosalyn said. </p><p>"Right, can't wait for that," Cato said balancing on the sarcasm line. Rosalyn just laugh softly and walked back down the hall the way they had come. </p><p>Cato walked into his room and grabbed the clothes off his bed and took them with him into the adjoining bathroom to shower. </p><p>He stood under the shower enjoying once again the feeling of hot water streaming down onto him. After the arena, his prep team had scrubbed him clean of any dirt, mud and anything else that he had gotten covered him during the week and a half in the arena, but it wasn't the same as standing under the water stream. </p><p>He hung his head and let the water bounce off the back of his neck. He let the corners of his mouth pull up as he though that within a couple hours he would he home and soon he would be back with Clove. </p><p>The smile on his face grew as he thought of her dark raven hair, dark murderous eyes and sharp tongue. </p><p>He walked to the door, in the blue and black plaid button down shirt and jeans, that Rosalyn had left out for him. Rosalyn, Miley, Brutus and Oceana stood at the door waiting for him. </p><p>He was led to the train station, it was dark out, but the streets were live and loud. They capitol was all awake and partying in the streets. </p><p>He got onto the train and Oceana showed him to his room. The same room that he had been showed to when he had first been on his way to the Capitol. He shut the door behind him and looked at the big fluffy bed in the middle of the floor. As he looked at it, he realized that he was exhausted. He slowly unbutton his shirt and lay down on the bed.</p>
<hr/><p>"Cato! We're here! We're home!" Oceana yelled through the door. Cato slowly stood up and rubbed his face tiredly. He put back on his shirt and walked to the door.</p><p>As he walked to the front of the bus he rubbed his face trying to get rid of any signs of sleep or that he was tried. </p><p>Oceana placed him in front of the door and placed Brutus and Miley on either side of him, flanking him and she stood behind them. </p><p>"Heads up, big smiles, in 321," Oceana said just loud enough that the 4 of them would hear. </p><p>The train doors opened revealing the screaming, cheering crowd of extremely happy citizens of district 2. </p><p>Cato looked around the crowd looking for the small brunette, while keeping the huge proud grin on his face.  As he scanned the crowd he realized that Clove wasn't there.</p><p>He looked up towards the streets of district 2 and leaning against the arch wall that separated the district 2 and the train station area, was Clove. She had her signature smirk on her face as she looked at him proudly. She turned around and walked away, confusing Cato. </p><p>Brutus slapped his shoulder and Cato looked over at him. Brutus made a motion with his arm motioning for Cato to walk down the stairs of the train and officially into district 2. </p><p>Cato walked into the crowd and everyone cheered around him and slapped his shoulders as he past by them. As he walked through the arch, he realized where Clove went, the alley behind the bakery. He wasn't sure why, but he knew that's where she went. </p><p>He headed towards it, but Brutus grabbed his arm. </p><p>"Come, we'll show you to your new house," Brutus said in a tone that Cato knew meant he didn't really have a choice. Brutus and Miley led Cato to the Victor's Village. </p><p>They showed him to a chocolate brown house, with a front porch and lighter brown door. He knew Clove would like it. </p><p>"Go check it out," Miley said shoving his shoulder. </p><p>Cato walked into the house, but didn't really care about looking around the house. Cato watched through one of the front windows until Brutus and Miley were out of sight then left his house. </p><p>He walked for few minutes before arriving at the bakery. On reflex, he looked around to make sure that no one was watching him and ducked into the alley. </p><p>Clove stood in the shadows at the back of the alley leaning against the wall, her hands in her jacket pockets, one of her feet up on the brick wall behind her, gaze on the ground. </p><p>"I missed you," Cato said letting the words slip off his tongue. Clove looked up at him taking him in. </p><p>"You don't look too different," she said. </p><p>"Were you expecting me too?" Cato asked. Clove just shrugged and looked back to the ground. Cato walked up in front of her, looking down on her with a confused expression on his face. </p><p>"What? Not happy to see me?" Cato asked. Clove looked up at him beneath her eyelashes. "What?" Cato said again. </p><p>"Nothing," Clove said shrugging again. </p><p>"Really? Cause you haven't kissed me yet," Cato said putting his hands on the wall on either side of her head. </p><p>"Maybe you haven't kissed me," Clove said grabbing the collar of Cato's shirt and pulling him down to meet her lips. </p><p>Clove pulled back from Cato and he attached his lips to her neck. </p><p>"I seem to remember you promising me a proper reunion," Clove said. Cato pulled back and smirked at her, </p><p>"Shall we go test out my new bed?"   </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Party with victors.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter is a bit different then the rest. It's not as vicious and it's just a bunch of people letting loose (or at least that's how I tried to write it). It's not exactly how I wanted to write it but I couldn't find another way to write what I was thinking. I rewrote it a few times, but it just kept coming out the same. Hopefully you'll like it!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clove lay under Cato on his fluffy bed. All of his weight was on his forearm, which were on either side of her head, making sure that he wouldn't crush her. Both of their shirt were on the ground next to the bed.</p><p>Cato bite Clove's neck and she arched her back. Cato slide his hand under her and up her back. He easily unclasped her bra and threw it to the ground with their shirts. Cato then dipped his fingers into the waist back of her leggings pulling them down her legs. Clove sunk her teeth into her lip as Cato's hand grazed her thigh. </p><p>His lips met hers again and Clove ran her hand down his torso to his pants. She had just unbutton them when the door bell started ringing repeatedly. </p><p>"Just make whoever it is go away," Clove groaned as she shoved Cato's chest. Cato kissed her neck once more before pushing himself off the bed. </p><p>He buttoned up his pants as he walked down the stairs into the front entry way. </p><p>He opened the door to find Miley standing on his porch. </p><p>Miley raised her eyebrows taking in his disheveled appearance, "Am I interrupting something?" she asked. Cato just shrugged. </p><p>"Victors party, city hall 20 minutes," her eyes shifted to something behind Cato, "Bring your friend. It'll be nice to finally meet her." And with that she left. </p><p>Cato shut the door and turned to face Clove who was leaning against the wall, arms crossed wearing his shirt. He shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and shrugged, </p><p>"Wanna go?" he asked. </p><p>"Not particularly, but you most likely have to. My parents go every year," Clove said and turned back towards the stairs. Cato followed her back into the bedroom. </p><p>"Meet back here in 20 minutes?" Clove said pulling back on her shirt. </p><p>"Sure," Cato said running a hand threw his hair trying to calm it. </p>
<hr/><p>18 minutes later Cato stood leaning against the porch of his new house. The short conversation that he had had with his parents going through his mind. His parents had congratulated him on his victory and then had started talking madly about him and Clove. The only reason he wasn't still there getting yelled at was that he had the excuse of having to get to the party. But his parents had promised that their conversation wasn't finished. And as much as he didn't want to admit it, he was scared of what was to come with the second part of that conversation. He had survived the hunger games and was one of the most brutal tributes ever, but he was afraid of a conversation with his parents. </p><p>He was brought out of his thoughts at the sound of footsteps approaching. He looked up to see Clove walking towards him in a brown trench coat, that he didn't think he had ever seen her wear before, and black heels, her hands in her pockets. Her normally up in a ponytail hair was down flowing around her shoulders in glossy waves, her make up was dark, her eyes smoky and her lips red. </p><p>"You look gorgeous," Cato said pushing off the railing that surrounded the porch and held his hand out to her. Clove looked at him suspiciously as she, almost hesitantly, took his hand. Cato never complemented her and she never would have thought that he hold her hand in public, but she thought that maybe since their relationship was now out in the open maybe he didn't care. </p><p>They walked hand in hand to city hall and up the steps into the huge open room full of bright lights, loud music and full of people. </p><p>They handed their coats to the girl at the coat check right next to the door and Cato got a look at what Clove was wearing. </p><p>The black dress went to her mid-thigh and hugged her curves perfectly. It had thick straps and a circle neckline that went just below her collar bone. </p><p>He placed his hand on her lower back and leaned in closer to her as they walked into the room, "Can I tell you how sexy you look in that dress?" he whispered huskily in her ear. </p><p>"Not yet," she said smirking turning her head to look at him. He smirked before looking around the room. He spotted Clove's parents laughing with some other victors, but Clove's father's attention was pulled away from the conversation when he saw Clove and Cato walk in. Cato though it might be smart to avoid them for now. Looking at the other side of the room, on the other side of the dance floor, were tables full of food and drinks and standing next to them were Miley and Brutus talking with Enobaria. Cato guided Clove over to them, but he couldn't help but notice how she looked over she shoulder at her parents. </p><p>"What were your parents reactions?" Cato asked keeping his voice low.  </p><p>"3 hour lecture," Clove said, "Yours?" </p><p>"A small talk with the promise of a longer one. I had the excuse of having to come here," Cato said. </p><p>"Lucky," Clove muttered as they neared the group. </p><p>"Cato!" Brutus said throwing his arms around Cato. It was clear that Brutus was at least somewhat intoxicated. </p><p>"Hi," Cato said awkwardly as he let go of Clove and again awkwardly, patted Brutus' back. He looked at Miley in a silent plea for help, but she just shook her head amused. Brutus let go of Cato and stepped back shifting his gaze to Clove. </p><p>"This must be Clara!" he said almost yelling. </p><p>"Clove," Cato corrected.</p><p>"Who's Clove?" Brutus asked looking back at Cato. </p><p>"I am," Clove said. </p><p>"You're Clara," Brutus said slurring. </p><p>"No she isn't," Cato said. </p><p>"Where's Clara?" Brutus asked Cato. </p><p>"There is no Clara," Cato said. </p><p>"Really?!" Brutus said then turned to face Miley, "Wasn't her name Clara?" </p><p>"No, it was Clove," Miley said with an unfazed amused smirk on her face. </p><p>"Really?! Well it doesn't matter," Brutus said turning to the table full of champagne glasses and grabbed two before turning back to face Clove and Cato, "It's still Cato's future wife! Drink, drink!"</p><p>"Brutus you're cut off," Miley said grabbing the champagne glass Brutus had just picked up and put it back on the table. Brutus crossed his arms and pouted like he was 5. </p><p>"You'll have to ignore him, he never makes any sense when he's drunk," Miley said addressing Clove and Cato. </p><p>"So Clove, I hear you're planning on volunteering," Enobaria said speaking for the first time. Cato slide his hand into Clove's. </p><p>"Yes I am," Clove said looking at the women she had admired for years. </p><p>"I've seen you train. Your skills with knifes are amazing, your technique perfect, I have no doubt that you'll succeed," Enobaria said and Clove squeezed Cato hand in excitement that Enobaria had noticed her. </p><p>"Thank you," Clove said trying to keep her smile from getting to big. </p><p>"I can't wait to mentor you," Enobaria said. </p><p>"You're mentoring next year?" Clove asked trying to keep herself and her tone calm. </p><p>"Yes," Enobaria answered simply. Clove's grip on Cato hand tighten even more, sending pain shooting up his arm. </p><p>"You're going to break my hand Clove," Cato muttered into his champagne glass as he lifted it to his mouth. Clove grip loosened noticeably.  </p><p>"Cato, are you ready to be a mentor?" Miley asked. </p><p>"How about we get through the victory tour first then deal with the stress of that," Cato said. </p><p>"It's not that bad," Miley said. </p><p>"Depends what kind of tributes you have," Enobaria said. </p><p>"Very good point," Miley said tilting her glass towards Enobaria.  </p><p>"Well then we might have a problem," Cato said jokingly looking at Clove, who jabbed her elbow into his side. </p><p>"Will Clove cause issues?" Enobaria asked raising one eyebrow. Everyone in 2 knew about Clove's short temper. </p><p>"Maybe, it's hard to say," Cato said and Clove jabbed her elbow back into his side harder than the first time, "Ow! Ok, that one hurt." Clove just glared at him. </p><p>"Isn't young love fun to watch!" Brutus exclaimed the huge drunken smile returning to his face. Miley and Enorbaria looked at him with confused expressions on their faces. </p><p>"What, Brutus?" Enobaria asked. </p><p>"You know the bickering, the, the...injuring...?" Brutus trailed off seeming to not know how to continue. Everyone in the group looked at him confused. </p><p>"Anyway," Miley said changing the topic, "There's a wedding coming up. Have either of you thought about it?" </p><p>"Well, Miley, you see, the past month I've been focusing more on staying alive so that there could be a wedding, so I haven't thought about the actual wedding, but more of being there. You see?" Cato said humor tracing his tone. </p><p>"Haha, shut it smart ass," Miley said, "Clove?" </p><p>"I haven't thought about it at all really," Clove said truthfully. </p><p>"You two should talk to the wedding planner," Enobaria said. </p><p>"There's a wedding planner?" Cato asked, never having heard any thing about a wedding planner before in the 18 years he had lived in district 2. </p><p>"Surprisingly yes," Miley said, "Her shop's along that line of stores just past the training center." </p><p>"Hmm, we'll have to check her out then," Cato said. </p><p>Clove looked over her shoulder and then drained her glass of champagne, Cato looked at her, confused by her sudden action. But he understood it as Clove's parents appeared next to her. </p><p>"Mom, dad," Clove said to her parents. </p><p>"Clove," her father nodded. Clove didn't have the greatest relationship with her parents, they had barely acted like her parents at all. </p><p>"Marcus, Lily, we were just congratulating Clove on her engagement," Enobaria said. </p><p>"Ahh yes, the engagement," Clove's father said stiffly. Her mother kept a firm glare on her face pointed at Clove, who met her gaze. </p><p>"You must be pleased that Clove is following in your footsteps," Enobaria said again trying to start a conversation in the awkward silence that had fallen upon them. </p><p>"Given that she actually does," Clove's mom said. </p><p>"I've seen her train. It's quite impressive, she has your talented with knifes Lily, perhaps even better," Enobaria said and Clove held her breath and looked away from her mom. She had no idea how her mom would respond to Enobaria's comment. </p><p>Lily and Enobaria stared at each other for a while, they weren't glaring, but they were close to. Lily seemed to shrivel under Enobaria's gaze as it turned colder. </p><p>"Yes well, she's worked hard," Lily said. Clove stared at her mom for a few seconds trying to see if she could find a different reaction on her face, but as they were taught, her mom kept her emotions hidden behind a wall of a cold emotionless expression. </p><p>"Let's go dance," Cato suggested and pulled Clove towards the dance floor. He pulled her in front of him when they reached the dance floor so that her back was facing her parents. Clove's hand rested lightly on his arm just below his shoulder and Cato's hand rested on Clove's back, she was tense under his touch. </p><p>"Relax angel," Cato said lowly so only Clove would hear. Clove just tensed up more. </p><p>"I didn't say that so you would get tenser Clove," Cato said and pulled her closer, his mouth by her ear, "Relax angel." His warm breath went down her neck making her shiver. Cato smirked. </p><p>"How much longer do we have to stay?" Clove asked after a minute looking up at Cato. </p><p>"Couple more hours maybe. Why?" Cato guessed looking down at her. </p><p>"I want to finish what we started," Clove said not lowering her voice, but the music covered her words from anyone else overhearing. Cato inhaled sharply at her words. </p><p>"Well, we could probably sneak out of here soon," Cato said and Clove smirked. </p>
<hr/><p>1 hour later. </p><p>"Where are the to-be newly weds?" Brutus asked somehow he had gotten drunker, even though Miley had taken every drink he had picked up out of his hand. </p><p>"They probably left. I interrupted something when I went over earlier. You know teenagers," Miley said and everyone nodded in agreement. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Just a small chapter full of Clato fluff. (somewhat)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cato had been back in 2 for two months and currently he lay asleep in his fluffy bed. It was 6:30 in the morning. </p><p>He got pulled out of his sleep when Clove tore out of his grasp. He slowly pealed his eyes opened and watched as she took off his t-shirt, that she slept in, and started to change. </p><p>"Where are you going? Come back," he muttered tiredly. </p><p>Clove looked over at him and smirked, "Training. I'm not a victor yet remember?" Cato just grunted tiredly and closed his eyes again. </p><p>Clove just smirked and went back to getting ready for training. </p><p>Before leaving the room, Clove put one knee on the bed and kissed Cato's forehead as she ran her fingers through Cato's hair. </p><p>"Come back soon," Cato murmured tiredly, making Clove laugh lightly. Cato never made much sense when he was tired. </p>
<hr/><p>Clove walked back into Cato's house in victor's village after a long day of training. She dropped her bag on the floor by the front door and watched into the kitchen running a hand over her sweaty forehead. </p><p>She stopped in her tracks when she reached the doorway to the kitchen. Running around the kitchen were colorful blobs. </p><p>Clove looked at all the racks of clothing, hair supplies and the unusual amount of people in the house. </p><p>"Hey." Clove turned her head to see Cato sitting on the counter next to the stove. </p><p>"What's happening?" Clove asked in a hesitant tone, not moving from her spot in the doorway. </p><p>"Victory tour starts tomorrow," a brown haired girl said from next to one of the racks of clothing looking at shirts. She said it like it was obvious. </p><p>Cato saw Clove's eyebrows crease in confusion, "They're starting prep today." </p><p>"Ok..?" Clove said, her eyes still darting around the room at all the supplies. </p><p>"How was training?" Cato asked sliding off the counter.</p><p>"Same old," Clove said then her eyes focused on Cato as he appeared in front of her. He placed his hand on the back of her head pulling her closer to him as he lightly pressed his lips to hers. </p><p>Awww's filled the room. </p><p>Clove pulled back from Cato and looked at the colorful blobs who stood a few feet from them, smiles on their faces. </p><p>"Back to work," the brown haired girl said and the blobs separated from the huddle they had formed. </p><p>"Clove, this is Rosalyn, my stylist. Rosalyn, this is Clove," Cato introduced.  </p><p>"It's nice to finally meet you," Rosalyn said and turned back to the rack of clothing. </p><p>"We'll see you tomorrow," Cato said before grabbing Clove's hand and pulling her upstairs. </p>
<hr/><p>"Why do you have to go?" Clove whined, her arms tightly wound around Cato's neck. </p><p>Cato laughed lightly, tighten his arms around her waist and pressing his lips to hers, "You know I have to, but I'll be back before you know it." The corners of Clove's mouth pulled up slightly. </p><p>"I'll be back in a month and then we'll get married," Cato said quietly, his prep team and Rosalyn stood near them at the front door. Clove nodded and he kissed her one last time. </p><p>"Cato! It's lovely to see you!" Oceana said walking into the house. </p><p>"Save me," Cato whispered to Clove before turning to face Oceana. </p><p>"Are we ready to go?!" Oceana said in her fake Capitol accent. </p><p>"Yup," Cato said. He smiled at Clove before following Oceana out the door. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry for the slow updates. It's a bit of a shorter chapter cause i didn't have many ideas for this chapter. I think i'll start the next chapter when Cato gets back from the victory tour.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for another short chapter, but the wedding will be in the next chapter and then the chapters will get longer as we go into the next games.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In 3 weeks, Cato had been in each district. And now he was dressed in a black tux and was standing back stage looking out at Caesar Filckermen as he stood on his stage getting ready to introduce Cato. Again. </p><p>"And now, your winner of the 74th hunger games! Cato Hirsh!" Caesar yelled to the crowd and Cato walked onto the stage for a short interview. </p><p>"Cato, how was the victory tour?" Caesar asked after they had sat down in the bug white plush chairs. </p><p>"It's been really fun. I enjoyed seeing all the district," Cato answered. </p><p>"They are lovely aren't they?" Caesar said, "Now Cato, last time you were here was right after you had won the games and you said that you were looking forward to getting married. Have you gotten married?" </p><p>"No, not yet. But it's coming, the planning has started. I think," Cato said. </p><p>"You, you think?" Caesar asked raising his eyebrows. </p><p>"Well we've put some thought into it," Cato said. </p><p>"Alright. Do we have a date?" Caesar asked. </p><p>"No." </p><p>"Do you know where your having the ceremony?" </p><p>"No." </p><p>"How about decorations?" </p><p>"No." </p><p>"Cato you are in the wedding aren't you?" Caesar asked. </p><p>"Yes," Cato nodded. </p><p>"Well at least he knows something," Caesar said and the audience laughed. </p><p>"We'll go into crazy wedding planning phase when I get back to 2," Cato said. </p><p>"Are you ready to go home?" Caesar asked. </p><p>"I've really enjoyed travailing the districts, but I do miss, um, people from 2," Cato answered. </p><p>"People as in wife to be?" Caesar asked. Cato nodded, somewhat sheepishly. </p><p>"Well we will see you tonight at the Presidential Palace."</p>
<hr/><p>That night at the Presidential Palace, Cato had a fun time. Laughing and drinking with Brutus and Miley and lots of Capitol people. </p><p>And then bright and early the next morning he was back on a train heading towards district 2. He spent the entire ride in his room with the blinds shut trying to get rid of the hangover. </p><p>When they reached district 2 there was a huge celebration to finish off the victory tour and celebrate 2 getting another victor. There were always huge parties when 2 got another victory. They celebrated until morning.</p>
<hr/><p>Cato and Clove, both still somewhat hungover from the night before, now sat at their kitchen table talking with the wedding planner. When Cato said that they would go into crazy wedding planning phase he had had no idea that it would be like this. And apparently, Mary, the wedding planner, had already started planning their wedding. She had decided, that even though it was nothing like Clove or Cato, that they would have a elegant wedding. </p><p>"Now napkins, daisy white or powder white," Mary asked placing two napkins in front of the couple. Cato looked at the napkins and could swear that they were the same color. He looked over at Clove, who looked back at him wearing the same confused expression on her face. </p><p>"Is there a difference?" Cato asked carefully. Mary had been raised in district 2 so she had a temper like everyone else in 2, which she had shown multiple times through-out the meeting. </p><p>Mary sighed for the hundredth time, "Is there a difference? This is the problem with men who try to be involved in the planning, they don't understand anything. Listen all you need to do is show up. Clove, preference?" </p><p>"Um," was Clove's response. </p><p>"You don't know the difference either do you?" Mary asked. Clove shook her head. Mary sighed once again. </p><p>"Let's move on. Have you thought about dresses?" Mary asked Clove. Clove's expression was blank. </p><p>"Of course not," Mary sighed. Then reached into her bag and pulled out a stack of pictures. She laid them all out on the table before looking at Cato and saying, "Leave." Cato stood up and whispered in Clove's ear, "Good luck." She glared at him as he left the room. </p><p>In the end, Clove chose a mermaid dress, with a lace collar that would go to the base of her neck, wrap around her neck and the lace would continue on the bottom of her back. The rest of the dress was white silk with lace patterns over top. </p><p>Cato got called back into the room to talk about flowers. Mary had almost jumped over the table when Clove asked if they really needed to have flowers. Her patience was definitely being tested today. </p><p>After hours and hours of party planning they finally finished. Mary had made most of the decisions for them since they didn't know anything about anything wedding related. Mary had gotten so mad at one point she had asked Cato why had he even thought about proposing. </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Wedding time!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Alright so I'm just gonna come out and say it, this chapter is gonna suck. Basically I have no real idea how to right a wedding so I'm gonna try my best but it's probably going to be really bad.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The morning of the wedding Cato was at his house with two of the members of his prep. While Clove was at her parents' house with Rosalyn and the other member of Cato's prep team. </p><p>Cato got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He walked into his huge bedroom, the two members of his prep team had practically turned it into a salon. They pushed him down into a chair and the blue guy started styling his hair. Cato wasn't sure why they were styling his hair. He thought it looked fine. The blow dryer sent hot air down the back of his neck. </p><p>In the mirror, Cato could see the green girl standing by his bed. She was taking clothes off of the many racks they had brought with them and laying them on the bed. Cato could see shirts and pants and ties and jackets all over the bed. What scared him most was the vibrate colors. </p><p>"You're not going to make me wear an orange suit, are you?" Cato asked, not sure he wanted to know the answer. </p><p>"Maybe, maybe not," the green girl said holding a blue tie in one hand and a red hand in the other. </p><p>"I'm not gonna look like a carrot at my wedding," Cato said sternly. </p><p>"We'll see," the green said laying the red tie on the bed and throwing the blue one on the ground on top of a pile of clothes that had been discarded there. </p><p>The hot air stopped blowing on his neck as the blue guy put the blow dryer on the table in front of Cato and picked up a tube of gel. </p><p>"Do we really need gel?" Cato asked. The blue guy's eyes widen at Cato's question. </p><p>"Do we need gel? What kind of question is that? Of course we need gel!" the blue guy exclaimed. Cato looked skeptically at the amount of gel that got squeezed into his hair. </p><p>"Don't look so horrified. It's not going to hurt you," the blue guy said. </p><p>"My hair's fine without it," Cato muttered as he watched the blue guy gel down his hair. He smirked as he thought, 'Clove isn't going to like that.' </p><p>It wasn't too long after that Cato was standing by the bed arguing with the green girl about the fact that he refused to wear a yellow suit. </p><p>"Why not? Yellow is the perfect color and it's in right now," green girl argued. </p><p>"Do you think I care what's in right now? Cause I don't, but I do care about the fact that I will not go to my wedding looking like a ray of sunshine!" Cato yelled at her. It was a bit of a funny scene, Cato towered over the small girl but still she continued to fight against him. </p><p>"What about green?" she asked. </p><p>"No!" Cato yelled, "Absolutely not. I told you I'm not wearing a suit that isn't black or has glitter on it and I don't care what's in style right now!" </p><p>"But black is boring," the green girl groaned. </p><p>"I don't care. I don't give a damn. Either give me a god-damn black suit or leave!" Cato yelled doing his best to not strangle the girl. </p><p>"Fine, you can wear a black suit," the green girl sighed handing him a black suit, "Now how about ties!" The smile returned to her face. </p><p>"Either black or none," Cato said in a tone that said, 'I dare you to fight me on this.' </p><p>"How about red?" she said picking up the red tie for Cato to see. </p><p>"What did I say about glitter?!" Cato asked. </p><p>"No glitter," the girl said sadly throwing the tie on the ground. </p><p>"Did you even bring a black tie?" Cato asked buttoning up the white dress shirt. </p><p>"Yes," she said again sadly reaching into one of the many garment bags. </p><p>Cato finished putting on the suit and reached his hand out for the tie in the prep team members hand. </p><p>"Are you sure you want a black tie?" She said tightening her hold on the tie. </p><p>"How about dark blue?" She asked smiling again. </p><p>"Black tie or no tie," Cato said still holding out his hand. </p><p>"Well you can't not wear a tie," she said.</p><p>"Then make it black," Cato said. Pouting she handed over the black tie. Cato looked down at the tie that he held in his hand,</p><p>"What did I say about glitter?!" Cato roared. </p><p>"But you can barely see it!" she protested. Cato stepped towards her, fury stirring in his veins and a murderous expression on his face,</p><p>"I said I don't want glitter. I will not be wearing any glitter at my wedding. I don't care if you can barely see it, but I will not wear any glitter of any kind at my wedding. Am I clear?" Cato growled. He could see her gulp visibly. </p><p>"Ok," she said quietly then turned back to the rack of clothes. Cato through the tie on the ground with a lot more force than probably necessary, but he was trying to deal with his anger in a way that didn't end with this girl being buried. </p><p>He watched as she dug through garment bags in search of a none glittery black tie.</p><p>"Are you sure you brought a black tie? With no glitter," Cato added quickly after he asked.  </p><p>"I did," she said still looking. Cato sighed heavily.</p>
<hr/><p>Clove's morning wasn't going much better than Cato's. </p><p>All morning her parent's had been trying to talk her out of marrying Cato. They weren't even trying to act happy for her or trying to pretend in the slightest that they liked Cato. </p><p>"Mom, this is happen whether you like it or not. So whatever you have to say about it is just a waste of breath," Clove said unhappily as Cato's orange prep team member put on her make up. </p><p>"Mrs. Cavia, how about you go get ready. The wedding's only a couple hours away," Rosalyn suggested with a bright tone as she lightly pushed Clove's mom out of Clove's bedroom. Clove could see that Rosalyn wasn't happy about Clove's mom being present. </p><p>Rosalyn shut the door and turned back to face Clove, a releaved smile on her face. Clove opened her eyes when the orange guy took away the make up brush away from her eyes. </p><p>Rosalyn walked up behind Clove as the orange guy started lightly swiping blush over her cheeks. </p><p>Rosalyn ran her fingers through Clove's wet hair lightly brushing out the tangles that were starting to form. </p><p>Clove had a clear view of Rosalyn in the mirror that was in front of her. Clove wasn't going to lie, she wasn't necessarily happy that Rosalyn was Cato's stylist. She couldn't help but see how pretty Rosalyn was, much prettier than herself. She had always wondered if Cato had a fascination for brunettes, most of the girls he had slept with at the training center, before Cato had claimed Clove as his of course, were brunettes. There was the occasional blond, but most of them were brunette. Rosalyn was brunette. </p><p>She looked at Rosalyn. Her perfect face, body, hair, she couldn't help being jealous of her and anger started rising in her veins as she thought of Rosalyn seeing Cato naked or mostly naked as she had been his stylist. She wasn't happy that Cato had been given such a beautiful stylist and one that didn't have too many Capitol alterations. Even though she didn't like the way Capitols dressed and that all the people who lived in the Capitol looked weird and creepy, she still wished that Cato had been given a more Capitol looking stylist, and one that wasn't so beautiful.  </p><p>Rosalyn was piling Clove's hair on top of her head, loosely trying different hair styles without adding hair spray or pins. </p><p>Clove then realized that Rosalyn's mouth was moving. She had said something to her. </p><p>"What?" Clove asked. Rosalyn smiled, meeting Clove's gaze in the mirror. </p><p>"Did you have a certain hair style in mind? Up, down?" Rosalyn asked again. </p><p>"Up," Clove said instantly. She never wore her hair down, even though Cato had said multiple times that he liked her hair down, she was going to wear it up. </p><p>Rosalyn pulled Clove's hair up to the top of her head and used a brush to pull it back smoothly. </p><p>The orange guy finished Clove's make up and walked over to a clothing rack with only one garment bag on it. </p><p>"I'll tell you, it looks strange seeing a clothing rack with a such small amount of clothing on it. But your dress is lovely. It'll look amazing on you," Rosalyn said as began to curl the end of Clove's hair. She had dropped Clove's hair so it rained down her back once again and had picked up the curling iron that had sat on the table in front of them. </p><p>"You've seen it?" Clove asked. </p><p>"Of course. I helped make the alterations," Rosalyn said. She must have seen the panicked look that crossed Clove's face at the word alterations because she quickly added, "Oh don't worry. We just adjusted the size so that it would fit right." </p><p>"Have you not seen it?" Rosalyn asked placing the curling iron back on the table and picking Clove's hair up once again. </p><p>"Only pictures," Clove said. </p><p>Rosalyn pulled Clove's hair back to the top of her head and again used the brush to pull it back smoothly. </p><p>Rosalyn left some strands of Clove's hair fall around her face as she brought the rest up into a ponytail. She then took the strands that fell around Clove's face and wrapped them around the ponytail hiding the elastic. </p><p>Clove looked in mirror after Rosalyn stepped back to admire her work. Her hair was lightly curled and there were a few strands that didn't make it into the ponytail that fell around her face. </p><p>Her make up was breath taking. Her features stood out beautifully, her eyes green eyes popped out from the dark brown make up around them, her lips were light pink that almost matched the blush on her cheeks and her eyelashes were longer than usual with the amount of mascara that had been layered on them. </p><p>"So? What do you think?" Rosalyn asked, a smile tugging on her lips. </p><p>"I love it," Clove breathed.</p>
<hr/><p>Cato stood at the alter in the church. His hands were clasped behind his back, he was looking down at his feet and he rubbed his foot against the already scoffed up floor of the church. </p><p>The pastor stood at the alter in front of him. Cato could feel his gaze heavy on his back. He lifted his eyes to meet the pastor's. Nothing happened, so Cato looked back at the ground. </p><p>It wasn't much longer after that, that music started playing, Cato looked up to see Clove walking down the aisle on her father's arm. </p><p>Cato's breath got stuck in his throat as he watched Clove come towards him. She was stunning. Her dress was perfect on her. The top part clung to her perfectly, the lace patterns on top shinned. The silk skirt flowed down, around her legs to the ground. </p><p>He didn't wait for her to reach him, he met her 3/4's of the way to the alter and led her down the rest. </p><p>"Cato, repeat after me," the pastor said. </p><p>"I, Cato Hirsh..." </p><p> "I, Cato Hirsh," </p><p>"Take you, Clove Cavia, to be my lawfully wedded wife..." </p><p> "Take you, Clove Cavia, to be my lawfully wedded wife," </p><p>"To have and to hold..." </p><p> "To have and to hold," </p><p>"From this day forward..."</p><p> "From this day forward," </p><p>"For better or for worse..." </p><p> "For better or for worse," </p><p>"For richer or for poorer..." </p><p> "For richer or for poorer," </p><p>"In sickness and in health..." </p><p> "In sickness and in health," </p><p>"Until death do us part..." </p><p> "Until death do us part." </p><p>"Clove, I, Clove Cavia," the pastor said starting from the beginning with Clove. </p><p> "I, Clove Cavia," </p><p>"Take you, Cato Hirsh, to be my lawfully wedded husband..." </p><p> "Take you, Cato Hirsh, to be my lawfully wedded husband," </p><p>"To have and to hold..." </p><p> "To have and to hold," </p><p>"From this day forward..."</p><p> "From this day forward," </p><p>"For better or for worse..." </p><p> "For better or for worse," </p><p>"For richer or for poorer..." </p><p> "For richer or for poorer," </p><p>"In sickness and in health..." </p><p> "In sickness and in health," </p><p>"Until death do us part..." </p><p> "Until death do us part," Clove finished. </p><p>"By the power invested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride," the pastor said as Cato stepped towards Clove. Their lips met in a passionate kiss. </p>
<hr/><p>The reception was lively, small but lively. Brutus, Enorbaria, Miley and Cato's father were talking by the food table. Their mom's both had champagne glasses in their hands and were seeming to be getting along quite well. There were groups of people who they had trained with gathered in clumps scattered around the room. Even some of their trainers had shown up to celebrate. Clove and Cato were among the many couples on the dance floor.</p><p>The speeches had gone along better than Clove and Cato had thought, their parent's had seem to bit their tongues on any bitter thing they wanted to say about the other family and had plastered on fake smiles. Miley and Brutus had both gotten up to the microphone, talking about Cato's victory in the arena and had raised their glasses to the memories they would make together with the other victors. Most of the district 2 victors had shown up, rallying their support for the young couple, everyone was aware of the hate between the two families. </p><p>"You know your tie has glitter on it right?" Clove asked as she took her hand off of Cato's shoulder and grabbed Cato's tie holding it up for inspection. </p><p>"What?!" Cato said grabbing the tie out of her hand. </p><p>"I told her no glitter," Cato muttered angrily dropping the tie.</p><p>"You don't see it unless you're up close, but yeah there's glitter in it," Clove said placing her hand back on Cato's shoulder. </p><p>"I'm gonna kill her," Cato said looking around the room for the green member of the prep team. </p><p>"Why?" Clove asked, but Cato knew that she wouldn't mind bloodshed. </p><p>"Cause I told her no glitter. Many times. I told her no weird colored suits, it was either black tie or no tie, and I ended up with a glittery tie, that I didn't see the need of having gel in my hair and that I didn't care what was in right now. I don't even know what that means," Cato ranted still looking around the room. </p><p>"That's why your hair looks weird," Clove commented looking at Cato's hair. Cato spotted Rosalyn and his prep team standing at the far end of the room. </p><p>"Come on," Cato said grabbing Clove's hand and leading her off the dance floor. </p><p>"Where?" Clove asked. </p><p>"I'm gonna try and not make a scene at our wedding," Cato said pulling Clove towards the group of Capitol people. Clove just shrugged, she honestly wouldn't mind a scene over a small amount of glitter on a tie. </p><p>"What part of no glitter, did you not understand?" Cato asked as he and Clove came to stand in front of the Capitol people. </p><p>"What?" Rosalyn asked following Cato's gaze to the green girl, who was looking down into her champagne. </p><p>"I told greeny here, that I wasn't going to wear glitter at my wedding," Cato said. </p><p>"You're not wearing glitter," Rosalyn said slowly. </p><p>"The tie has glitter on it," Cato said. </p><p>"What no it doesn't," Rosalyn said stepping forward to grab Cato's tie. Clove's grip tighten on Cato's hand as Rosalyn got close to him. Cato turned his head slightly to look at Clove as he felt to pressure of her hand in his increase. He could see fire rising in Clove's eyes as she looked at Rosalyn. </p><p>"Well look at that. There's glitter on the tie," Rosalyn said stepping back. Clove turned to take a glass of champagne off of a tray someone was holding as they walked by. She brought the glass to her lips as she turned her attention back to the confrontation in front of her. </p><p>"I didn't have a tie that didn't have glitter on it, so I went with the one that had the least amount. You didn't seem to notice so I thought it would be okay," the green girl was saying. </p><p>"I told you black tie or no tie at all," Cato said repeating his words.</p><p>"But you have to wear a tie!" The green girl said. </p><p>"I don't think I do. I've never worn a tie in my life," Cato said. The green girl looked at Clove horrified,</p><p>"That's probably true," Clove said shrugging and raising her glass back up to her lips. </p><p>"Seriously, do you not have anything piece of clothing that doesn't have glitter on it?" Cato asked, temper starting to rise. </p><p>"Drink," Clove said raising her cup to Cato's mouth. </p><p>"I think you've had enough," Cato said looking down at her and pulling back away from the glass. </p><p>"I've barely had any," Clove said taking another sip and looking up at Cato with an innocent look that Cato knew she had perfected when she was eight. </p><p>"That's worries me, but you have always been a light weight," Cato said making Clove glare at him. </p><p>"Cato you can't even see the glitter. Now go enjoy your wedding," Rosalyn said pushing him away. Cato rolled his eyes, but pulled Clove away back into the crowd.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A longer chapter to make up for the small ones that I've been writing lately. Soon Clove will go into the arena.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was the day before the reaping of the 75th hunger games. Clove was going to volunteer. But what if she couldn't. </p><p>That thought occurred to Cato as he lay in his bed. The space next to him was empty, like it had been for hours. </p><p>Cato hadn't woken up when Clove had left for training, for the last time, he hoped. </p><p>75th. Quarter quell. What if this years quarter quell prevented Clove from volunteering. </p><p>She was 17, Cato reasoned with himself. She still had another year, if this year she couldn't go into the arena, she could always go in the next year. Except that would ruin their plan, not too badly, but it would still ruin their plan. They would still both become victors, eventually, but not back to back years. Cato wouldn't be able to be one of Clove's mentors, and she wouldn't get to be mentored by Enorbaria, but she would still have kick-ass mentors.</p><p>Cato looked over at the clock on the table next to his bed. 1:30, it read. </p><p>When had it gotten so late, Cato had woken up at 10. Had he really been dwelling on this for so long. </p><p>President Snow would be making his announcement at 4. Clove would still be training, but the entire country would be watching the announcement. </p><p>Cato got out of his bed, still trying to reason with himself. Just because it was a quarter quell didn't mean that Clove couldn't go into the arena. Cato thought about the previous quells, twice the amount of people, any people, voted who would go in, district 2 would have obviously chosen the best tributes. In both of those circumstances Clove would have been able to go into the arena, so why would this year be any different. Right?</p>
<hr/><p>4 o'clock came quickly. Cato sat on the couch in his living room, TV on, waiting for the announcement from Snow. Waiting for the revealment. </p><p>The TV switch from some weird capitol produced show to the Presidential Palace. This is it. </p><p>Snow walked out onto the balcony, waving, people all around him cheering. </p><p>"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the 75th year of the hunger games," he said, the sound of his voice made Cato's skin crawl. People cheered more. </p><p>"It was written in the charter of the games, that every 25 years there would be a quarter quell. To keep fresh for each new generation the memory of those who died in the uprising against the Capitol. Each quarter quell is distinguished by games of a special significance. And now, on this the 75th anniversary of our defeat of the rebellion, we celebrate the 3rd quarter quell," Snow said, then opened an envelope and pulled out a piece of paper. Cato held his breath. </p><p>"As a reminder, that even though one generation could fight in a war, the next could not. On this the 3rd quarter quell games, the male and female tributes will have some relation to previous hunger games victors." </p><p>Cato released his breath and lay his head back on the couch, a smile stretching across his face. Clove was going into the arena. The daughter of two victors and the best in her class, she had a good chance of being reaped, and she would still be able to volunteer. </p>
<hr/><p>Groans emerged from lots of the 18 year old's at the training center. Lots of them wouldn't be allowed to volunteer, but it's not like they were going to be able to anyway. </p><p>Clove grinned and looked down at the knife in her hand, adjusting her grip on it. She'll have to thank her parents for winning the games. Probably won't though.</p><p>"Everyone back to training," the head trainer barked. </p><p>"What's the point?" one of the 18 year old's muttered, the head trainer didn't seem to hear him or he would've been slapping him by now. </p><p>Clove went back to the targets. She knew that lately the trainers had been watching her. Her skills had gone up, and not just with knives. They knew she would be a winner. She had overheard them talking a couple days ago about seeing if she was planning on volunteering. They all knew that she was better than the 18 year old's. </p>
<hr/><p>Official training hours were almost over when Cato walked into the training center. Today trainers would have put out the training reviews for all the trainees. It was basically a report card to see how much you had improved, what your skills were, rankings and estimations of how well you would do in the games. They got given out the day before the reapings, to help any trainees who were still deciding whether or not they should try to volunteer. </p><p>They were organized in baskets. Each basket had a different age in it. The best of that age group was on the top of the pile and the worst on the bottom. </p><p>Cato walked over to the 17 year old's basket and wasn't surprised that Clove's report was on top.</p><p>What he was surprised about was what the trainers had written. They weren't just talking about her knife skills, but her spear skills, sword skills, time she spent at the few survival stations they had set up. No one ever went to the survival stations. They called her a dedicated trainee, said that her dedication to victory was an inspiration to all future trainees and in the section where they put estimations of how well they would do in the games, they called her a sure victor. That was the highest rank, not even Cato had even gotten that, they almost never called anyone that. Her skill set had gone way up from last year and that was saying something since Clove had been one of the best last year, now she was the best, and no one was going to come close to her. </p><p>The bell rang signaling the end of the day. Cato noticed some of the trainees look at him as they walked to change rooms and to the table to pick up there reports. Boys look at him in envy. Girls look at him with looks that he had seen hundreds of times before. He chose to ignore them all and walked away from the table still reading Clove's report. </p><p>He looked at the knife targets and saw Clove still practicing. </p><p>Cato walked over to her and leaned against the wall that separated the target Clove was at from the one next to it. </p><p>"This is really good Clove," Cato said closing the report. Clove just nodded and threw another knife. Cato watched it sore threw the air and hit the center of the target right next the 5 other knives in the center.</p><p>"Your skills set has gone up a lot," Cato said. </p><p>"I know," Clove said throwing another knife. Cato looked at Clove skeptically, something didn't seem right. </p><p>"You were at the top of the pile," Cato said, again trying to start a conversation, but Clove just nodded. </p><p>"You watch the announcement?" Cato asked, but just got replied with a simple "yes". </p><p>"I didn't know you had gone out of your comfort zone so much," Cato said looking back down at the report. </p><p>"Yeah," Clove said. Cato was about to ask her if everything was alright when the head trainer walked up to them, </p><p>"Clove you don't need this extra practice. Go home, get some rest. You've earned it," he said. Cato was surprised, trainers almost never told anyone to go home or get some rest, not unless they were 100% sure that they were going to win. </p><p>"You still planning on volunteering tomorrow? Your report didn't scare you?" the trainer asked. Clove stopped in her tracks, </p><p>"Should it?" she asked looking at him, "I haven't read it yet." </p><p>"All it's telling you is to get in that arena," the trainer said. Clove nodded and turned back to the target. </p><p>"Clove, I mean it, go home. That's an order," the trainer said making Clove sigh. She stared at the target for a few seconds before turning around and walking towards the change room, knife still in hand. </p><p>"This is positive," Cato said holding up Clove's report. </p><p>"Ya. She's here early every morning, stays late everyday. I haven't seen someone work as hard as her in years. It's good. She really wants this," the trainer said. </p><p>"I didn't realize she was spending more time at other stations. I thought she was sticking to knives," Cato said. </p><p>"Mainly yes, but she has definitely spend a lot of time at the other stations. She's extending her rang, it's a good thing. Gives her a higher change at a higher score," the trainer said. </p><p>Cato looked over his shoulder at the change room entrance before asking, "Did she seem off to you at all today?" </p><p>"You noticed that too, huh?" the trainer said, "I just thought maybe she was focusing more since it's the last day of training and all, but after a while something didn't seem to be right. She seemed happy after Snow made the announcement, but that was it. Some of the 18 year old's went over to her after, tried to get a reaction out of her, but she acted like they weren't even there. She almost seemed to be laying low today." Cato had confused all over his face, Clove avoiding a fight and showing up 18 year old's, that wasn't right. </p><p>"That's strange," Cato said looking back over to the change rooms. </p><p>"I'm just hoping it's not nerves. She's worked too hard to back out now," the trainer said. </p><p>"She's not going to back out. That's not Clove," Cato said and walked over to the change room entrance to wait for Clove.</p><p>Some of the other trainers came over to him to talk and after a while Cato started to wonder what was taking Clove so long. It never took her this long to grab her things. That's when he picked up on a sound coming from the girl's change room. Metal hitting metal. </p><p>"Clove are you throwing knives in there?!" He yelled into the change room cutting off whatever a trainer had started to say. There wasn't any reply, but the sound stopped and a couple seconds later Clove exited the room, bag over her shoulder. She just walked past them to the doors. </p><p>Cato said a goodbye to the trainers and jogged to catch up with Clove. They walked in silence. Clove seemed to be somewhere else entirely. </p><p>"Are you alright?" Cato asked as they reached Victor's Village. </p><p>Clove didn't say anything for a few seconds, then seemed to snap out of whatever trance she was in, "You say something?" </p><p>"Are you okay? Even the trainer said he noticed something was off," Cato said repeating himself. </p><p>"I'm fine," Clove said dismissively. </p><p>"They called you a sure victor," Cato said realizing that he still had Clove's report in his hand. </p><p>"They did?" Clove said looking at him. Cato handed her the report. </p><p>"It's crazy positive," Cato said and noticed that some of the tension in her shoulders disappeared as she read it. </p><p>"Are you having second thoughts?" Cato asked as they reached his house. Well their house, all of Clove's things were there along with Cato's. </p><p>"No," Clove said firmly. Cato could tell she wanted this conversation to be over before it starts. Cato watched as she went upstairs, he knew she didn't want him to follow her. He wasn't now, but he probably would in the next couple minutes or so. </p><p>And he was right, 4 minutes after Clove went upstairs, Cato followed. </p><p>The bedroom door was open, Clove stood by her dresser, the top drawer open, clothes pushed to one side. She was looking down at the paper in her hand. She seemed to be in her own mind again. She didn't hear Cato walk into the room, didn't realize he was standing behind her until, </p><p>"So this is about Emily." Her head whipped over her shoulder instinctively. Cato was looking down at her, empathy clear in his eyes. </p><p>Clove's older sister, Emily, had gone into the 70th hunger games. She had been killed by Cato's cousin, who had come out.</p><p>She threw the picture of her sister back into the drawer and slammed it shut. She tried to walk away, but Cato just trapped her between his arms against the dresser.</p><p>"You're going to win this Clove, every single trainer knows it," Cato said softly. </p><p>"They thought that about Emily," Clove said.</p><p>"Emily wasn't called a sure winner. You were," Cato said.</p><p>"Cato, even my parents don't think I'll be able to win. They haven't since Emily died. You heard them at the victor party," Clove argued. </p><p>"Your parents haven't seen that report," Cato said, arguing back. </p><p>"Whatever," Clove said and shoved the inside of Cato's elbow so it would bend and she would be able to get out of his grasp. </p><p>"I'm gonna shower," she said softly and walked into the bathroom. After Cato heard the water running, he grabbed Clove's report and walked down the street to Clove's parents' house. </p><p>He knocked on the door. It opened a couple seconds later to reveal Clove's mom. </p><p>"What do you want?" she asked bitterly. Cato held out Clove's report, </p><p>"Clove's report," he said simply. Lily took it and Cato walked back to his house. When he reached his house he looked back at Lily, she still stood inside the open door, Marcus had joined her and they were both reading the report. Cato walked back inside his house. </p>
<hr/><p>Cato and Clove sat at their table eating dinner. It had been about 2 hours since Cato had given Clove's parents her report. Clove still didn't know. </p><p>Cato look at the window to see Clove's mom walking to their door. Cato stood and grabbed his and Clove's plates from the table and walked over to the sink as a knock was heard from the front door. </p><p>"Wanna get that?" Cato asked over his shoulder. Clove silently stood up from the table and walked to the front entry way. She hadn't said much since he had gotten out of the shower. </p><p>Clove opened the door and was surprised to see her mom standing there,</p><p>"Mom?" she said confused. Neither of her parents' had ever come any where near Cato's house. </p><p>"This is very impressive Clove," her mother said holding up her report. </p><p>"Where did you get that?" Clove asked. </p><p>"Cato brought it over earlier," her mom responded. </p><p>"Bastard," Clove muttered under her breath. </p><p>"Are you planning on volunteering tomorrow?" her mother asked. </p><p>"I am," Clove said. Her mother smiled, something Clove hadn't seen her do in years, </p><p>"You'll win Clove. I don't have any doubt," her mom said, then handed her her report and left. Clove shut the door, replaying her mom's words in her head. 'You'll win Clove. I have no doubt.' That was the closest thing to a complement Clove's mom had ever said to her. </p><p>"Sneaky," Clove said leaning against the door way of the kitchen looking at Cato's back. </p><p>"What?" Cato asked turning around and grabbing a towel off the counter next to him. Clove raised her eyebrows at him. </p><p>"She sounded impressed," Cato said drying his hands, the corners of his mouth pulling up. </p><p>"Why did you even give it to them?" Clove asked. </p><p>"While you were in the shower," Cato said, the corners of his mouth turning down as he studied Clove's face. Ready to dodge a knife, if one came flying at his head. </p><p>Clove didn't throw a knife, she just turned around and walked away. She dropped her report on a table in the hall as she walked past it and into the living room. </p><p>Throwing the towel on the counter, Cato followed her and sat next to her on the couch. Clove shifted so that her legs were draped across Cato's lap and her head rested on his shoulder. Cato automatically wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her closer. </p><p>Later as they were laying in their bed after dark, Clove shifted closer to Cato, burying her head in his neck, her mumbled "thank you" muffled against his neck. Cato didn't have to ask what she was thanking him for. </p>
<hr/><p>Cato woke up once again to an empty bed the next morning, only this time he could hear the shower running. </p><p>He stayed in his bed, eyes glued to the closed door of the bathroom, waiting for her to come out. </p><p>And after a few minutes she did. Pulling on a black leather jacket that Cato knew had knives hidden in it. She had on black leggings and a black tank top. </p><p>Cato knew she wasn't dressing fancy like some people might, she was dressing so she would be able to get to the stage first. </p>
<hr/><p>The reaping was set up differently than all the other years. Cato went to the stage to stand with the rest of the victors while Clove went to the check in tables. </p><p>After the peacekeeper had pricked her finger she mumbled, "Related to victor, go to the front." </p><p>Clove walked to the front of the crowd where other female kids related to victors stood. Clove eyed the people standing next to her. There were two 18 year old's that might try to volunteer, but Clove knew she was faster than both of them. She had beat them both before. No one there would be a challenge for her. </p><p>As she waited for the reaping to start she looked at the boys who stood at the front of the boys section. Any of these could be her district partner. </p><p>"Welcome, welcome." Clove didn't realize that Oceana had walked onto the stage. Oceana looked the same as always. Dyed green-blue skin, bright pink hair, shining yellow dress with orange spots all over it. </p><p>“Now before we begin we have a very special message, brought to you all the way from the capitol!” Oceana said in her fake accent. </p><p>Clove looked at Cato looking at her from the stage.</p><p>‘War, terrible war,’ he mouthed in sync with the video, she smirked, some things never changed. </p><p>Oceana stepped back up to the microphone as the video ended, Clove was happy that the video was finally over. </p><p>“Now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for, it’s time to pick our two brave volunteers to represent district 2 in the 75th Hunger Games!” Cheers and hoots erupted from the crowd. </p><p>Oceana walked over to one of the big glass bowls and pulled out a slip of paper. </p><p>"Lexi Cunning!" she announced into the microphone. </p><p>"I volunteer!"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I would like to thank the youtube channel Story Diver for helping me come up with an idea for a quarter quell games. Your video 'What was the 3rd Quarter Quell going to be originally?' really helped me. Everyone go check out her channel, she does a lot of really cool ideas for her videos. Most are related to the hunger games. She does character spotlights, a bunch of what if situations regarding previous games or if something had gone differently in the games and a lot more. All her videos have really cool ideas. So check her out.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I volunteer."</p>
<hr/><p>Cato smirked. </p><p>A girl climbed onto the stage. </p><p>"What's your name?" Oceana asked even though she already knew. </p><p>"Clove Cavia." (or Clove Hirsh) </p><p>"Daughter of victor's Marcus and Lily Cavia?" Oceana asked. </p><p>"Yes," Clove answered proudly. Her vicious smirk on her face, her head raised confidently. </p><p>"Now for the boys," Oceana said and walked over to the other glass bowl. </p><p>Slip of paper in hand, she walked back over to the microphone, "Lewis Matthews." He was pulling himself onto the stage before anyone had the chance to volunteer. </p><p>Lewis Matthews, he was one of Cato's friends from training. Him and Cato would always hang out with James and Mark. James, Cato and Mark were all the same age. Cato had become a victor and Mark and James had become peacekeepers and had been sent of the neighboring districts after Cato's games.</p><p>Lewis was a year younger. And he was going to die in that arena. </p><p>Cato knew Lewis was a good, skilled fighter, but he came no where near Clove. Clove was going to come home. Cato felt a small bolt of sadness shoot through him, but Clove was more important. And he and Lewis had never been that close anyway. </p><p>"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you your 75th Hunger Games tributes!" Oceana yelled into the microphone and the crowd cheered. </p>
<hr/><p>Clove sat on the purple plush couch in the room where she would say goodbye to her loved ones. </p><p>"Clove!" her younger sister Serena yelled as she came running into the room. </p><p>"Hey kiddo," Clove said as she got off the couch and crouched to hug her sister. </p><p>"You're gonna come back right?" Serena asked, arms still locked around Clove's neck. </p><p>"Of course I am," Clove said, "I'm the best." </p><p>"You really are," Clove's mom said proudly from where she stood next to her husband just inside the door, watching the two girls.</p><p>Clove looked at both her parents' and lightly pushed Serena away so she could go hug her parents. </p><p>"You can do this Clove," her father said in her ear as he hugged her tightly. </p><p>"And I will," Clove said moving to hug her mother. </p><p>"Carry on the Cavia victories," Clove's mom said holding Clove's face between her palms. Clove smiled. </p><p>"Well you should better be on your way to the Capitol then," Clove's dad said. </p><p>Clove hugged Serena again. Clove's older sister was hanging in the air, but remained unsaid, until, </p><p>"Clove, you have to come back. I can't lose another sister," Serena whispered, then she turned and walked out of the room, her parents right behind her. </p><p>The door shut. </p><p>When it opened again peacekeepers were coming in to escort her to the train. </p><p>They passed reporters, flashing cameras and the screaming civilians of district 2. </p><p>When they stepped into the train, Clove walked into the next car, not caring about the escort, the mentors or where her room was. This car was packed with tables full of food and refreshments. </p><p>She sat in a chair by the window pulling one of her legs up to her chest, watching the land blur by as the train fly past. </p><p>After a few minutes the door to the car opened, but Clove didn't move her head. </p><p>Cato sat down in the chair across from her, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees as he stared at Clove intently. </p><p>"What are you thinking about?" Cato asked. The question surprised Clove, Cato never asked her anything like that. </p><p>"Emily," she replied, keeping her gaze out the window. Cato kept his gaze on Clove. </p><p>"This isn't about the plan anymore," Clove said barely about a whisper after a while. </p><p>"What?" Cato asked. What was she talking about? Of course this was about the plan. Their entire lives had been about the plan. </p><p>"It's about Serena now," Clove said not raising her voice. Cato narrowed his eyes at her, trying to figure out were she was coming from. </p><p>"Serena was 3 when she watched Emily die. She can't be 8 and watch the other," Clove said, then turned her head to meet Cato's eyes. </p><p>"Chloe can't seem to stop talking about her," Cato said, not knowing what else to say. Clove dropped her eyes to the ground, a faint smile tugging at her lips. </p><p>"Serena's the same," Clove said, remembering how Serena never seemed to stop talking about Cato's younger sister, "How'd they even become friends?" Her eyes met Cato's once again. </p><p>"I might have told Chloe to talk to Serena. Their around the same age," Cato said. </p><p>"How old's Chloe?" </p><p>"9." </p><p>"They train together," Clove said. Cato nodded. </p><p>"What's really going on in that head of yours?" Cato asked softly. Clove hesitated, </p><p>"Serena said she can't lose another sister. And for some reason ever since, I've been doubting myself. Everyone thought Emily would come back and she didn't. Everyone thinks I can win, but I'm not sure," Clove said, speaking in a lower volume than Cato had. </p><p>"Why?" Cato asked matching Clove's tone. </p><p>"Why?" Clove repeated, talking slightly louder. </p><p>"Why are you doubting yourself?" Cato specified speaking in the same tone as before. This was a conversation for him and Clove alone, no one else needed to hear it. No one was going to use this to their advantage. </p><p>"I know I shouldn't, and yet I do," Clove said quietly. </p><p>The door to the train car opened to show Lewis,</p><p>"Oceana would like to watched the reapings," he announced and Cato couldn't help but wonder if he had overheard anything. </p><p>"We'll be right there," Cato said and Lewis walked away the car door closing. Clove stood up and Cato copied her movements.</p><p>He placed his hand on her waist pulling her close, he kept his face close to hers. </p><p>"You have nothing to worry about Clove. You're going to be the one who puts blood in the bloodbath. And I promise you, I will do everything I can, to keep you alive," Cato murmured quietly to her. </p><p>"I know," Clove said matching his way of speech and then walked off towards the door, Cato right behind her. </p><p>Cato sat on the smaller couch next to Clove, his arm draped across the back of the couch, behind Clove. Enobaria, Oceana and Lewis sat on the longer couch. </p><p>Cato and Clove had walked into the room right as Caesar Flickermen had finished his speech. </p><p>The district one girl had jet black hair, darker than Clove's. She didn't seem anything at all like Glimmer, her dark make up around her eyes and black lipstick, ripped jeans. Clove knew she would be one to look out for. </p><p>"We'll have to watch out for her," Clove said voicing her thoughts. </p><p>"A district one girl. They only care about their looks," Lewis scoffed. </p><p>"Does she look like she cares about her looks? Or like the other district 1 girls?" Clove asked as the male district one tribute walked onto the stage. </p><p>He was tall and lean, brown hair and wore a cocky smile. </p><p>Next was district 2, Clove and Lewis both looked confident. Clove was proud with how terrifying her smirk looked. </p><p>Districts three through ten held no one who caught Clove's eye. </p><p>District 11 though, the girl was again a small 12 year old, the male, was huge, maybe bigger than Cato. He would be hard to kill. </p><p>District 12, had no one related to their one victor so reapings went as they normally would. </p><p>Clove smirked when she saw the female victor. </p><p>13 year old, </p><p>Primrose Everdeen. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hate me? Ya I thought so.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The tv went back to normal Capitol show. </p><p>Clove was still smirking. Cato had killed Katniss and now she was going to kill fire girl's little sister. </p><p>Cato looked over at Clove, and smirked at her smirk, he leaned closer to her, "Wanna see your room?" </p><p>"Sure," Clove said and stood up after him. Everyone else watched as they walked out of the room. </p><p>Lewis couldn't help, but worry that Cato was going to play sides. Cato was Lewis' mentor, but Clove was his wife. And Lewis knew that if it came down to the two of them, Cato would be rooting for Clove. </p><p>Cato led Clove past the small kitchen and down the hall with doors on either side. </p><p>Cato stopped in front of a door on the left wall and opened it. Clove followed him in. He shut the door behind her. She turned her head as he placed his hands on her waist and brought his face close to hers, </p><p>"This was my room last year," he informed her. </p><p>"Ok," Clove said. </p><p>"Lunch will be in 10 minutes. Don't be late. Oceana gets mad if your late," Cato said walking backwards towards the door. </p><p>"Why do I think what she thinks?" Clove asked looking over her shoulder. </p><p>"She's a Capitolite, she's spreads word. We don't need her bad mouthing you all over the Capitol," Cato said grabbing the doorknob. </p><p>"Would she do that?" Clove asked. </p><p>"We don't need to find out," and with that he left. </p>
<hr/><p>9 minutes later, Clove walked into the kitchen next to Enobaria. </p><p>Cato and Lewis sat at the table laughing. </p><p>Clove could already see through Lewis, he was trying to undermine her. Get Cato onto his side and off hers. Stupid boy. </p><p>Clove sat down next to Lewis, who sat across from Cato, and Enobaria sat next to Cato, across from Clove. </p><p>She continued their conversation, "Your skills are very impressive." </p><p>"Thank you," Clove said. </p><p>"You're the girl who was called a sure victor, right?" Enobaria asked. Lewis' head snapped to the side to look at Clove. </p><p>"Yes," Clove answered with a side glance at Lewis. </p><p>Enobaria nodded a thoughtful expression on her face as avox's placed plates of food on the table in front of them. </p><p>"Oh, lovely! Everyone's here!" Oceana exclaimed as she walked into the room and sat down at the head of the table. </p><p>Clove looked at her strangely as she popped a pill into her mouth and washed it down with a small amount of water. </p><p>She looked over at Cato, who just shrugged.</p><p>"So Clove, I must say I just loved your wedding dress. It was gorgeous!" Oceana said reminding everyone of the fact that Clove and Cato were married. </p><p>Clove didn't say anything, just kept eating. Oceana seemed offended by her silence. </p><p>Clove could feel a heavy gaze on her. She looked up to see Cato staring at her. He raised his eyebrows at her and she shot him a look that said 'what?' But she knew, he was telling her not to offend the Capitol people. </p><p>"Woah," Lewis said and stood up. Clove calmly followed him over to the huge window as they pulled into the Capitol. </p><p>Lewis had shock all over his face, but Clove kept her structure, an intimating scowl on her face. </p><p>"What? Not impressed?" Cato said quietly to her, appearing behind her. </p><p>"It's decent," Clove said her eyes scanning each screaming person standing on the train station. </p><p>"Alright everyone, heads high, we are now in the Capitol, big smiles," Oceana said joining them at the door with Enobaria at her side. Clove looked at Oceana weirdly at her comment. Big smiles? What the hell?</p><p>The doors opened and they all followed Oceana into the screaming crowd.</p>
<hr/><p>Clove stood on a platform, arms crossed. </p><p>"Well look at that." Clove turned her head to see the familiar brunette, surrounded by the blue, green and orange blobs of color. </p><p>"Rosalyn? You're my stylists?" Clove asked. </p><p>"I might have requested you," Rosalyn said then turned to the blobs, "Start on her. I'll be back soon." She then turned and walked back down the hall. </p><p>"Strip down please," the orange one said as they walked into the room and shut the door. They walked over to a table full of wax strips and soapy sponges. </p><p>After she took off all her clothes, they waxed off all the hairs on her body and scrubbed her skin and her nails. </p>
<hr/><p>"You and now your wife. I'm very pleased that I get to be the stylist of the happy couple." </p><p>Cato had been led to a room on the other side of the building from where Clove and Lewis had been taken. </p><p>He looked at the door to see Rosalyn standing there. </p><p>"What are you doing here?" Cato asked. </p><p>"Remember I'm with you until death. Or that's how you put it," Rosalyn said. </p><p>"Right," Cato said remembering the conversation they had had right before he went into the arena, "So you're Clove's stylist too?"</p><p>"I've already met her, so, I'm might have requested her," Rosalyn said, "I have to get back to Clove, but I'll see you before the interviews. Clean you up for any reporters." </p><p>"Can't wait," Cato called after her as she left the room. </p>
<hr/><p>"Alright she's good," Rosalyn said walking back into the room Clove was in. The prep team put down the wax and sponges and scurried out of the room. </p><p>"You know what happens tonight right?" Rosalyn said circling Clove. </p><p>"Tribute parade. You show us off for the first time in front of the sponsors," Clove answered. </p><p>"Exactly. Now follow me, we'll continue getting you ready," Rosalyn said throwing a lilac purple silk robe at Clove. </p><p>Clove followed Rosalyn down the hall into a room that looked like a salon. She followed Rosalyn into a bathroom adjacent to the room. </p><p>Inside the bathroom there was a tub full of steaming water. The blobs of color were running around grabbing bottles of soaps, shampoos and conditioners. </p><p>"In the tube," Rosalyn said cheerfully. Clove looked at the pink water skeptically. </p><p>"It won't dye your skin don't worry," Rosalyn said and her tone suggested she had said those words thousands of times before. Clove inhaled before removing the robe and lowering herself into the tub. </p><p>They scrubbed her skin and nails more with soap and washed her hair. </p><p>After a few minutes later they pulled her out of the tub and led her back into the room while Clove put back on the robe. </p><p>Rosalyn stood in the salon part of the room rearranging beauty supplies on the table in front of her. </p><p>"Sit," the green girl said pointing to the chair behind Rosalyn. </p><p>Once Clove sat in the chair, the blue guy grabbed a blow dryer and dried Clove's hair so it flowed down her back in fluffy waves. </p><p>"Go grab her costume," Rosalyn said to the orange and green prep team members. </p><p>Rosalyn turned to face Clove and the blue guy, "Put her hair in a low bun, that way the helmet will fit." Clove's eyebrows creased, helmet?</p><p>The blue guy nodded and tied Clove's hair into a tight ponytail near the base of her head. </p><p>Rosalyn started applying a light amount of make up to Clove's face. Contouring and highlighting. </p><p>When they were done, and Clove's hair was tied into a tight neat bun near the bottom of her head, the other two prep team members returned with her costume. Both of them held a piece of gold looking armor. </p><p>"Time for the costume," Rosalyn said placing the make up brushes on the table. Clove stood up and removed the robe. </p><p>The prep team helped her put on a fake armor top made of heavy materials. It choked up on her neck and had gold leave looking designs down the front in a v-shape. It had a light cape connected to the back, the color slightly lighter than the top, it flowed just past where the skirt ended. </p><p>Next she slide on a matching gold skirt that went to her knees and then Rosalyn placed a gold helmet with wings on the sides on her head. Her hair started right where the helmet stopped. </p><p>"Well you look perfect," Rosalyn said, her eyes inspecting every part of Clove's outfit. </p><p>"What does this have to do weapons?" Clove asked looking in the mirror. </p><p>"You and Lewis are gods of war," Rosalyn explained, "Now come on, we can't be late." </p><p>Clove followed her out of the room and down the hallway. They stopped in front of the elevators where Enobaria and Cato stood. </p><p>"Gods of war, nice," Enobaria said nodding. Cato eyes her outfit and seems impressed. </p><p>Lewis and his stylist joins them, Lewis wearing a matching outfit to Clove, only his cape seemed heavier, his shirt didn't chock up on his neck, but had a circle neckline and his helmet seemed more like a crown since it didn't have the top half. </p><p>"Great, let's go," Cato said and hit the button for the elevator, which opened seconds later. </p><p>As they stood in the elevator, Clove felt Cato's hand momentarily brush against her. </p><p>The elevator opened to show a huge open room full of horses harnessed to chariots and people in strange costumes that the capitol would enjoy. </p><p>"Come come," Oceana said leading them out of the elevator. They all followed her to the second chariot in the line that was hooked up to two big black horses. </p><p>Clove looked at the horses an unsure expression on her face, she had never been a fan of animals. </p><p>"Well up you get," Oceana said with a pushing motion of her hands. Clove and Lewis looked at each other and Lewis made a swiping motion of his arm as to say 'ladies first.'</p><p>Clove climbed into the chariot and Lewis right after. </p><p>Cato leaned on the chariot, "Act confident, smirk, don't wave though. Just act like you're better than everyone else here. Shouldn't be too hard right," he smirked at Clove and pushed himself off the chariot and moved to stand by Enobaria who stood talking to the district 1 mentors.</p><p>The doors to the stadium opened and the horses began to move.</p>
<hr/><p>Unlike the year before, district 12 didn't steal the show. They stood back in the shadows like they always had. </p><p>Clove had taken off her costume, which now laid on her bed next to Cato. Clove stood in front of the mirror that hung on the wall next to the bed. </p><p>"Hungry?" Cato asked as Clove pulled the elastics out of her hair. </p><p>"Not really," she replied. A knock came from the other side of the door. </p><p>"Come in," Clove called and the door opened to show Rosalyn and the green girl walk into the room. </p><p>"You still have your costume?" Rosalyn asked looking at Clove. </p><p>"It's on the bed," Clove said and pulled her hair up into a ponytail. Rosalyn looked at the bed and walked over to grab the costume, nodding at Cato as she passed him. He nodded back. Rosalyn passed the skirt to the green girl and grabbed the helmet and shirt. </p><p>"Dinner should be ready soon," Rosalyn said as she left the room. The green girl shut the door behind them. </p><p>"Do we have to go dinner?" Clove asked. Cato chuckled and stretch out his arm,</p><p>"Maybe not," he said as Clove curled into his side, "But Oceana might not be happy if we skip. She cares a lot about punctuality." </p><p>"Great," Clove groaned as she buried her head in Cato's neck. Cato chuckled again and tightened his grip around Clove's waist, pulling her closer. </p><p>"Although," Cato started and Clove groaned again knowing that she wasn't going to like what he was going to sat next, "You should eat as much as you can here before the games. You never know the supply of food they'll have in the arena." Cato remembered what had happened to the food supply the year before.</p><p>"Since when have you've been some wise, arena expert?" Clove asked looking up at him. </p><p>"You think I'm wise?" Cato asked smirking cockily, looking down at her. </p><p>"Not anymore," Clove said looking at his smirk. </p><p>"Well, liar then," Cato scoffed looking away from her. Clove punched his stomach when he called her a liar. </p><p>"Ow! Why do you keep hitting me? It hurts," Cato whined. </p><p>"You've hit me. What's the difference?" Clove asked. </p><p>"You hurt," Cato said, but knew that his argument was really weak. </p><p>"And what? Your knuckles are padded?" Clove asked, raising her eyebrows. </p><p>"Alright that was a bad argument," Cato said. </p><p>"Mmhmm," Clove said. Cato pulled her closer and kissed her temple. </p><p>"Dinner!" Oceana yelled from the hallway. They heard Lewis' door open. </p><p>"Do we have to go?" Clove asked. </p><p>"If we don't, Oceana will probably come and drag us out," Cato said. </p><p>"Cato! Clove! Dinner!" Oceana yelled fiercer. </p><p>"Come on," Cato said sitting up and pulling Clove up with him. Clove got off the bed and Cato followed, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulled her out of the room. </p><p>When they walked out into the hallway Oceana was gone, probably had gone back to the kitchen. </p><p>Before they reached the kitchen Cato quickly kissed Clove's head and then removed his arm from around her. </p><p>They sat in the same places as they had on the train. As Clove sat down she watched Oceana popped the same small pink pill in her mouth as she had on the train. </p><p>Plates of hot food were already on the table in front of them. </p><p>"Tomorrow training will start. Your stylists will have your uniforms in your rooms tomorrow," Cato said. </p><p>"Spend the first day making alliances and getting to know your opponents. Find the strong ones, the weak ones. Find out what their strengths and weaknesses are," Enobaria said. </p><p>"Why not just make alliances in the arena?" Lewis asked. Clove looked over at him to see if he was serious, and by the looks on Enobaria and Cato's faces, it seemed like they were wondering the same thing. </p><p>"You're kidding right?" Clove asked and the look Lewis gave her clearly said he wasn't, "We make alliances as soon as we can so we can get some form of trust between us. We can't be in an alliance with people we don't trust." </p><p>"But it's obvious that we'll be in an alliance with 1," Lewis said. </p><p>"If we think they'll literally stab us in the back at the first they get, it's probably not the best to be in an alliance with them," Clove said. </p><p>"Why not? Travel in numbers right?" Lewis asked and Clove was close to banging her head against the table. </p><p>"You're trying to live through this. You won't live if the people in your alliance kill you on the first day," Enobaria said. That was the end of that conversation, but Clove did learn something, Lewis, was not going to win. Not if he kept thinking like that. He clearly never paid attention in the classes were they analyzed old game footage and talked strategies. </p><p>Later, after dinner, Clove and Lewis were sent to their rooms to get rest before training tomorrow. Cato and Enobaria stayed at the table. </p><p>"Well at least we have one good chance at a victor," Enobaria sighed. </p><p>"I swear Lewis was smarter than that back at the training center," Cato said shaking his head, "That was just embarrassing." </p><p>"Is he at least a good fighter?" Enobaria asked. </p><p>"He's not bad, bit cocky though. He anticipates his hits too much, when his opponent dodges the attack it completely throws him off guard. That's why trainers were cringing when he got onto the stage," Cato said. </p><p>"He'll die in the bloodbath, won't he?" Enobaria sighed. </p><p>"It's possible, but I doubt it. Most likely he'll annoy Clove to the point that she'll kill him," Cato said. Enobaria raised her eyebrows telling him to specify. </p><p>"Even I've hit him because he opens his mouth too much," Cato said. </p><p>Enobaria sighed again, "Well we better turn in too. Big day tomorrow." Cato nodded and stood up. </p><p>Instead of going to his room he went to Clove's. He had only seen his room once, but the tributes room's were more comfortable. The mentors weren't treated as well. Their beds weren't as fluffy. </p><p>Cato opened the door to Clove's room to find her sitting on the bed pen and paper in hand. The screens in the room, that he had never used, were on and showing footage of old games. Clove's eyes were darting from screen to screen as her hand quickly wrote down every useful thing she saw. There were already 3 pages full of notes lying on the bed next to her.</p><p>"Getting to work already?" Cato said amusement clear in his tone as closed the door. Clove ignored him and kept writing. </p><p>Cato lay down on the bed behind her and drew random patterns on her back. She shivered as his fingers brushed down her spine, </p><p>"Stop it!" she snapped. </p><p>After another hour of this and when bed was covered in papers, Cato suggested that she should sleep. After a few minutes of persuading, he finally convinced her that she needed to be rested for training tomorrow and that she could continue taking notes tomorrow. She shut of the screens as Cato gathered up all the papers and put them in a neat pile on the table next to the bed. </p><p>Cato removed his t-shirt, leaving him in the sweatpants he had put on earlier, and threw his shirt across the bed to Clove. She put it on after she took off her shirt and then took off her leggings as Cato lay back down on the bed. </p><p>She curled into her side as his arm wrapped tightly around her waist.</p><p>"Lewis is a stupid tribute," Clove said. </p><p>"The trainers cringed when he got to the stage," Cato told her making her laugh.</p><p>Cato kissed Clove's forehead and murmured, "Sleep princess," against her head. And probably for the first time ever, she obeyed him.  </p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Training.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clove walked close to the wall as she walked around the training center. Taking mental notes of everything. Who picked what station, what people seemed to be favoring, where they spent the most time. </p><p>Right now she was watching the district one male as he threw a spear and hit the target perfectly. </p><p>"Why are you watching him?" Lewis asked appearing behind her. </p><p>"What do you mean?" Clove asked not taking her eyes off of the district 1 tribute. </p><p>"Why are you watching are allies when you could be watching are opponents?" Lewis specified. </p><p>"They told us to watch are opponents. That includes the possible people of are alliance. Need to know their strengths and weaknesses too," Clove said, "Did you never pay any attention in any classes?" Clove turned her head to look at him. </p><p>"Most," Lewis shrugged. </p><p>"And yet you still decided that going into the games would be a good idea," Clove said starting to walk again, Lewis followed her. </p><p>"Weren't we also told to scare them," Lewis said, "I haven't seen you go anywhere near the knives." </p><p>"Not today. Today we watch, tomorrow we intimidate."</p>
<hr/><p>Cato and Enobaria were the only people on the 2nd floor. The stylists and prep teams were off planning interview outfits, Oceana was off doing whatever capitol people do. </p><p>Cato was sitting on the couch next to Enobaria as she explained sponsors and how they worked. </p><p>Basically the mentors watched the games from a room near the game makers and controlled the sponsors gifts. </p><p>"The interviews and training scores will do a lot, but we can always do more. We only need one mentor per district in the surveillance room, so if you're not doing surveillance, go talk to the capitol people. Introduce yourself, talk up your tributes, convince them they should be on district 2's side. Convince them that your tributes will win," Enobaria was telling him. </p><p>"Sounds easy enough," Cato nodded. </p><p>"It is until they die. Capitol people get mad if you make them switch tributes and then they get killed," Enobaria said. </p><p>"Fun," Cato said sarcastically. Enobaria went back to looking at the papers that were laid out in front of them. Papers full of possible sponsors gifts, listed from least to most expensive. </p><p>Not taking his gaze away from the piece of paper in his hand, Cato said, "So Brutus huh?"</p><p>Enobaria's head snapped over to him, "Pardon?" Cato calmly looked over at her, </p><p>"He might have mentioned something," Cato said. </p><p>"When?" Enobaria asked. </p><p>"Last year. He said something quickly while we were taking about Clove," Cato told her. </p><p>"Your point?" Enobaria asked. </p><p>"Just surprised me that's all," Cato said. </p><p>"How so?" Enobaria asked. </p><p>"Nothing ever showed that you two were together," Cato said. </p><p>"No offence to you or Clove," Cato raised his eyebrows, not knowing where she was going to go with this, "But we didn't want are relationship publicized. You didn't see how much they were rooting for those star-crossed lovers from 12. The entire Capitol was cut down the middle, half on their side, half on yours." </p><p>"No offence taken. Brutus said that it could help us, so we went with it," Cato said looking back at the papers in his hands. </p><p>"It worked for you, it will probably work in Clove's favor as well," Enobaria said coping his action. </p><p>"From the screen, did it look like 12 were actually in love?" Cato asked the question he had been wondering for months. </p><p>"The boy yes. But remember, he only came out about it in the capitol, the girl didn't know before. There's not much chance she returned his feelings," Enobaria said. Cato nodded. </p><p>"Why?" Enobaria asked. </p><p>"Just been wondering," Cato said, "So the sponsor chooses the gift?" </p><p>"Yes." </p><p>"And it has to be on the list?" </p><p>"Not necessarily, I suppose, but most will be," Enobaria said. </p><p>"And how do we get the gift into the arena?" Cato asked. </p><p>"There will a table at one end of the room with avox's around it. Sponsors will directly hand you the gift, and you'll give it to the avox's, they'll wrap it and send it into the arena," Enobaria explained. Cato nodded.</p>
<hr/><p>Clove was now watching the district 7 boy as he tried to climb a robe bridge. She laughed internally at his struggles, but kept a blank expression on her face. </p><p>She had noticed many of the tributes from lower districts staring at her with feared expressions, more than definitely wondering what she was doing. </p><p>She swept her gaze over the room and her eyes landed on Primrose Everdeen sitting at one of the plant survival stations. Clove had noted that that's where she had been most of the day. </p><p>A cruel smile pulled at her lips and she made her way over to where Prim sat reading about different kinds of plants. </p><p>Clove sat down across from Prim and just watched her. She noticed how Prim's eyes kept darting to Clove and then back down to the book in her lap. Clove was making her nervous. Perfect. </p><p>"Primrose, right?" Clove asked even though she already knew the answer. </p><p>"Ya," Prim said nervously. </p><p>"Fire girl's younger sister. Those are big shoes to fill," Clove said. Prim just nodded.</p><p>"Except you would won't have a love story to save you. Will you?" Clove asked. </p><p>"No," Prim said quietly. </p><p>"Shame," Clove leaned closer to her and whispered, "You won't have to worry, you won't live past the bloodbath. I promise" Then she stood up and walked away. Clove had already called dibs on Primrose. </p><p>"What were you talking to her about?" The district 1 male asked when Clove came to stand where he stood with Lewis. </p><p>"Just making conversation," Clove said, "Who are you?" </p><p>"Marvel." </p><p>Clove nodded, "Clove." The district 1 girl caught Clove's eye and she swung around a mace.</p><p>"What do you know about her?" Clove asked jerked her head towards her. Marvel followed her gaze, </p><p>"Who Anna?" Clove nodded. "She's a loner. Keeps to herself. I don't think I've ever seen her talk to anyone." </p><p>"Would she join in an alliance?" Clove asked. </p><p>"Probably not, but you never know," Marvel said. </p><p>Clove nodded once before walking towards the mat, Anna was on. </p><p>"Anna?" Clove asked. Anna stopped swinging the mace and stood up straight. She wasn't too much taller than Clove. </p><p>Anna just looked at Clove, Marvel was right, she never said anything. </p><p>The two girls just stood there staring at each other until Clove broke the silence, </p><p>"Would you be open to an alliance?" Anna shook her head 'no' and Clove had to step back so she didn't get hit by the flying weapon. </p><p>"Why not?" Clove asked watching her skills. Anna didn't even look at her. </p><p>After a while of watching Clove turned around and walked back to the boys.</p>
<hr/><p>Training finished and everyone went back to there floors. </p><p>Clove stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel tightly around herself. </p><p>She started to pull her hair up into a ponytail as she walked out of the bathroom, but dropped it when she jumped when she saw Cato sitting on her bed. </p><p>"Why are you always in my room?" she asked gathering her hair again. Cato just shrugged and lay back on the back, his eyes never leaving her. </p><p>Rolling her eyes she turned to the closet and searched for something normal and non-capitolite to wear. </p><p>Eventually she found a hot pink t-shirt and black leggings. </p><p>"How'd training go?" Cato asked as she pulled on the leggings. </p><p>"Alright," Clove answered. </p><p>"Hit the target every time?" Clove could hear the smirk in his voice.</p><p>"Didn't go near the targets," Clove said pulling down the shirt. </p><p>"What?" Cato asked propping himself up on his elbows. </p><p>Clove looked over at him, "What?" she said slowly. </p><p>"Why weren't you throwing knives?" Cato said sitting up fully. </p><p>"I watched the others today. I'll intimidate tomorrow," Clove said stepping towards him. </p><p>"So you didn't intimidate at all today?" Cato asked. Clove could see his temper rising. </p><p>"Why are you upset?" Clove asked. </p><p>"You have to intimidate them Clove, make them fear you. Not watch them," Cato said. </p><p>"You said to find out their strengths and their weaknesses, so that's what I did," Clove said sternly. Cato stood up towering over her,</p><p>"You were supposed to intimidate," Cato seethed. </p><p>"And I will," Clove said sharply, not backing down, "But it's good to know your enemies right? And if it makes you feel better, a ton of them were shriveling under my gaze. Better?" </p><p>"I guess," Cato scoffed and walked towards the door. </p><p>"Why are you getting so pissed off?" Clove asked following him. </p><p>"They need to fear you," Cato said and left the room. Clove rolled her eyes and followed him to the kitchen for dinner. </p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for not updating lately. But finally here's the next chapter. I know that some of you might be confused with Cato's temper rising for really no reason at the end of the last chapter, but I didn't really no what else to do. I'll probably incorporate it in somehow later.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clove and Lewis walked into the training center for the second day of training. Today and tomorrow, Clove was going to show the other tributes that none of them had a chance of winning. She was going to intimidate the hell out of them. </p><p>The second she walked out of the elevator, she went straight for the racks full of knives and the targets. </p><p>Staring at the 30 yard line, she threw the knife perfectly. It sore through the air at a fast pace and hit the center of the target. Even though her back was to them, she could feel all their eyes on her. Either out of fear or envy. But Clove smirked before grabbing another knife. </p><p>After throwing knifes for 15 more minutes, she turned to face the room. She wanted to try and talk to Anna a bit more, and try to convince her to join the alliance. She had seen her skills yesterday, she would be a valuable asset. She also wanted to psych out 12's younger sister some more. Just for the fun of it. </p><p>She went and stood proudly by Lewis and Marvel already showing her dominance, she was going to lead this alliance. And if they wanted to fight her on it, they could, but they would end up with a knife sticking out of their skull. </p><p>"Nice moves," Marvel commented as Clove looked around the room. </p><p>"Thanks," she said distantly. </p><p>"You know I was starting to think that you weren't a good fighter since you didn't go any where any kind of weapon yesterday," Marvel said. </p><p>"If I wasn't a good fighter, than why would I be here?" Clove asked rhetorically.</p><p>"You're not too bad yourself. Spears your main thing?" Clove asked turning to face Marvel after a pause.</p><p>"Mostly. I'm good with swords. I would say I'm good at knives, but after seeing you I don't think I can," Marvel told her with a smile pulling at his lips.  </p><p>"What about you? What's your thing?" Clove asked looking at Lewis, ignoring Marvel's last comment. </p><p>"Ax, sword," Lewis said, "Not as good as Cato though." He added. But no one was. </p><p>"Cato?" Marvel asked looking between the two. </p><p>"Cato Hirsh, last year's victor. Her husband," Lewis said. Clove had turned her attention else where when Marvel had asked.</p><p>"Hold up, your that Clove?" Marvel asked, his gaze resting on Clove. </p><p>"What Clove?" Clove asked watching Anna swing around her mace. </p><p>"The Clove he practically confessed his undying love for," Marvel said amusement creeping into his tone. Clove rolled her eyes and set off towards Anna. </p><p>"You're good with that thing," she called as she neared her. Anna shot her a look that said 'leave me alone', but that wasn't Clove's plan. </p><p>"Why won't you leave me alone?" Anna asked in a quiet voice. </p><p>"I wanna know why you don't want to be apart of the alliance," Clove said. </p><p>"I work better solo," Anna said simply. </p><p>"We're going into an area where we're fighting for our lives, people watching your back couldn't hurt," Clove said. </p><p>"I can watch my own back just fine," Anna said. Clove studied her. Anna wore the same outfit as her, black and grey tank tops and black pants, her hair was pulled up into a messy bun, where as Clove's was in her slick back ponytail. Anna still had on her black lipstick, and dark eye shadow. </p><p>"It wouldn't hurt," Clove said. </p><p>"No offence or anything, but I don't trust anyone here," Anna said. </p><p>"Never said you had too," Clove said. </p><p>"If I'm not going to trust you to have my back, I'm not to be in an alliance with you. I would have thought someone from 2 would be smarter than that," Anna said making Clove mad. </p><p>"I get that. But you're skills are good," Clove said glaring at her. </p><p>"So you want me for my skills," Anna said. </p><p>"What else would I want you for," Clove said. Anna just walked past her, hitting Clove's shoulder as she past. </p><p>Clove returned to the knives. She hit the target perfectly for the 40th time, when she sensed someone behind her. She looked over her shoulder to see Marvel standing behind her. </p><p>"You shouldn't even try with her," Marvel said. </p><p>"What?" Clove asked. </p><p>"Anna. She never even talked to trainers. Until today I didn't think she could speak," Marvel said. </p><p>"District 1 aren't normally people who stray far from the group," Clove said, her eyes wandering over Marvel's shoulder. </p><p>"Anna's weird, alright. Just forget about her," Marvel said. </p><p>"First lesson 1, never forget about any of your opponents," Clove said and walked away.</p>
<hr/><p>Later after training the district 2 crew, as Oceana called them; although Cato was sure she had said that last year, all sat around the table. </p><p>"That district 1 girl's going to be hard though," Clove said as she picked up her water glass. </p><p>"How so?" Cato asked. </p><p>"She isn't open to her alliance. She would be a valuable asset, but she refuses to join. She barely even talks to anyone. Today was the first time I heard her say anything and she was telling me to leave her alone," Clove said then sipped her water, "Tomorrow will be the last chance I have to try and convince her, but I doubt I'll be able to." </p><p>"What about 4? They anything good?" Enobaria asked.</p><p>"Weaklings," Lewis said, "They can barely even pick up a knife." </p><p>"Well that still leaves 3 of you. And the competition doesn't look to fierce this year, so it shouldn't matter to much," Cato said. </p><p>"What about 11?" Lewis asked abruptly turning to Clove. </p><p>"What about him?" Clove asked slowly.</p><p>"Bring him in. He's huge. We'll do better with him with us than against us," Lewis said. </p><p>"Lewis that has got to be the most logical thing I've ever heard you say," Enobaria said and Lewis smirked. </p><p>"He makes a good point Clove," Cato said looking at the skeptical look on Clove's face. </p><p>"You watched him yesterday, what do you think?" Lewis asked. </p><p>Clove inhaled remembering what she had seen from 11, the day before, "Hand to hand combat seems to be his strength, he picked up a mace wasn't the worst with it. It wouldn't be best if we ended up facing against him," Clove said picturing the huge boy in her mind, "He'd have an advantage on us, he's bigger than Cato." Clove weighed the pros and cons in her mind. </p><p>"So?" Lewis asked looking for an answer. </p><p>"Talk to Marvel tomorrow, see what he thinks, than talk to 11," Clove said and went back to eating. She wasn't sure having 11 in the alliance would be the greatest thing, but then again, it would be better with him watching her back instead of on her back. </p><p>She voiced her opinion to Cato later in her room. </p><p>"I don't know if we could trust him," Clove said head on Cato's shoulder and trying not to lose herself in the way Cato was drawing random patterns on the skin of her waist. </p><p>"It wouldn't be the worst thing having him with you," Cato said though Clove could hear the uncertainty in his voice.  </p><p>"I wouldn't trust him as look out," Clove said. </p><p>"You don't have to sleep when he is," Cato said. 'Good point' Clove said mentally. </p><p>"But if he says no, he'll know we want him. That could give him leverage, at any point during the game," Clove said. Cato sighed as he ran if fingers up Clove's side. </p><p>"You'll have to take some risks," Cato said. </p><p>"He'll survive the bloodbath, no doubt," Clove said. </p><p>"And if he declines it'll make him the biggest threat against you," Cato said. </p><p>"Him and Anna," Clove said. </p><p>"Anna?" Cato asked. </p><p>"The district 1 girl," Clove said. </p><p>"You really think she's that big of a threat?" Cato asked. </p><p>"She's a good fighter, and you never know, she might be hiding her skills," Clove said. Clove could feel Cato's intake of breath under her. </p><p>"Why wouldn't she join the alliance?" Cato asked. </p><p>"Trust issues. Works best solo apparently," Clove said. </p><p>"No one works best in the games solo. She won't last long with that attitude," Cato said. Clove opened her mouth the say something, but yawned instead. Cato chuckled and kissed her head, </p><p>"Sleep. You'll need it." </p>
<hr/><p>"Remember to check with Marvel first before talking to 11. We don't need him to get mad at us for not keeping him in the loop. The alliance is small enough as it is," Clove said. </p><p>"You worried about 11?" Lewis asked as they made their way down to the training center in the elevator. </p><p>"If he turns us down it could give him leverage during the games," Clove said. </p><p>"How so?" Lewis asked. </p><p>"If he declines he'll still know we want him. He could use that against us," Clove said then an idea popped into her mind, "Tell him that this is a one time offer. That if he declines the door closes." </p><p>"Alright," Lewis said as the doors opened. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry for a bit of a small chapter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chapter 22! I honestly didn't think I'd get this far, but I'm really happy I did. If any of you have any suggestions or anything you want to see coming up, please tell me!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lewis stood a couple feet behind Marvel. Not wanting to sneak up on him since he had a long and sharp spear in his hand that Lewis knew Marvel wouldn't hesitate to put through him if Lewis surprised him. </p><p>"Nice," Lewis said stepping closer to Marvel as the spear embedded into the center of the target. Marvel looked over his shoulder at Lewis and nodded as a thanks. </p><p>"So, there's something I wanna run by ya," Lewis said stepping closer to Marvel so they were huddled together, heads bent close. </p><p>"What?" Marvel asked lowering his voice. Thinking it would be appropriate since Lewis had gotten so close. </p><p>"What do you think of the boy from 11?" Lewis asked matching Marvel's tone. Marvel looked at the other side of the room where 11 was looking at a rack of axes, but not making any moves that showed that he was going to pick one up. </p><p>"He's not bad, I guess. Pretty big. Why?" Marvel asked looking back at Lewis. </p><p>"What would you think about bringing him into the alliance, adding to are numbers?" Lewis asked. </p><p>"I don't know man, he is from 11. That's not necessarily a district we make alliances with," Marvel said. </p><p>"Last year there was someone from 12 in the alliance. That's a lower district than 11," Lewis pointed out.</p><p>"They had something they needed from him though, what could we get from him?" Marvel asked. </p><p>"Extra protection. He's strong, and Clove says he's good at hand-to-hand combat. He could prove useful," Lewis said. Marvel looked back over to where 11 stood still looking at the axes, but not touching them. He thought it over. </p><p>"Ya alright," Marvel agreed, since it sounded like Clove was on board with the idea. </p><p>"Great!" Lewis exclaimed, clapping Marvel's shoulder, happy that people were agreeing to his idea, "Imma go talk to him." </p><p>"I'll come with," Marvel said following Lewis over to where the boy from 11 stood. </p><p>"Yo 11!" Lewis said as they arrived next to him. The boy from 11 slowing turned his head to look at them, not sure why they were approaching him. </p><p>"Yes?" he asked in his deep voice. </p><p>"You're a good fighter, could be a valuable asset," Lewis said. 11 caught onto what he thought they were saying, but quickly pushed that thought out of his head, thinking that surely he was wrong. </p><p>"What's your name?" Marvel asked. </p><p>"Thresh," he answered lowly. </p><p>"Well Thresh, what do you think about joining our alliance?" Lewis asked. Well, Thresh was wrong, that was what they were saying. </p><p>"You want me?" he asked. </p><p>"Yes," Lewis answered. </p><p>"Um, who else would be in this alliance?" Thresh asked. Despite his big appearance, Thresh was really quite smart, he was going to get all of the details before making an informed decision. </p><p>"Us two and Clove, the girl from 2," Marvel told him. Thresh looked over to where Clove stood throwing knives. Her aim was always perfect. It would be better having her as an ally instead of having her knife being thrown at him. But would being her ally really stop her from trying to kill him. </p><p>"Um, could I ugh, could I have some time to think about it?" Thresh asked, although he was aware that there was only days left before they all got thrown in the arena. </p><p>"You have until the end of the day," Lewis told him and walked away, Marvel right behind him. </p><p>"I don't know why she keeps trying," Marvel sighed as he and Lewis stopped by a rack of bows looking out over the room. Lewis followed his gaze to where Clove had moved from the knife targets over to a mat that Anna stood on, swinging around her mace in a deadly fashion. </p><p>"What do you mean?" Lewis asked shifting his gaze to Marvel. </p><p>"Anna's not going to join the alliance. Clove might as well give up, she isn't going to get anywhere," Marvel said meeting his gaze. </p><p>"One thing I've learned about Clove in all the years of training, she doesn't give up, and almost all the time, she gets her way," Lewis said. </p><p>"That's both comforting and worrying," Marvel said. </p><p>"What's even more worrying in that once she's marked you out as her target, she doesn't stop until you're dead, no matter what," Lewis said. </p><p>"I don't want to become her target then," Marvel said and Lewis nodded in agreement. </p>
<hr/><p>Aspirated, Clove turned her head to see Lewis and Marvel walking away from 11. She couldn't tell from their facial expressions whether or not the talk with 11 had been good or bad. That put a heavy feeling in her stomach. </p><p>She looked back at Anna, who had taken her attention away from Clove. Clove watched her for a few more minutes, her skills would be really valuable to the alliance, but she could tell she wasn't any where closer to persuading her. Maybe she should give up, but that wasn't her. She always got her way, no matter what she had to do to get it. </p><p>But the want to know what 11 had said was bigger than the want to stay here and get no where with Anna, so she walked over to where Lewis and Marvel stood. </p><p>"So?" she asked as she got closer to them, "What'd he say?" </p><p>"He wants time to think about it," Lewis said in a low volume and then quickly added, "I told him he had t'ill the end of the day," when he saw the look that crossed Clove's face. </p><p>"Alright, good," Clove said and then looked around the room, her gaze landing on Primrose. </p>
<hr/><p>Prim sat again at the plant identifying station reading a book full of different kinds of plants. Some edible, some deadly. </p><p>She looked up from the book and looked around the room when she felt someone's eyes drilling into her. </p><p>She had her suspicions of who it was and those suspicions were only confirmed when she saw the dark eyes of the district 2 girl watching her. </p><p>The words that she had whispered to her the day before had haunted her all night. 'You won't live past the bloodbath, I promise', had rung through her head all night and had kept her awake. </p><p>The fear in her only grew when the girl started walking towards her. </p><p>This time she didn't sit down in front of her, she stood next to her, her shadow putting Prim into darkness. </p><p>Clove smirked as she towered over the visibly frightened girl. </p><p>They stared at each other for a few seconds before Prim asked, </p><p>"What can I do for you?" </p><p>"Nothing. Yet," Clove said tauntingly. </p><p>"What do you mean?" Prim asked, her voice trembling. Clove leaned down and grip Prim's chin,</p><p>"Your face sure will make a lovely canvas," Clove said her voice sending shivers down Prim's spine as all the color drained from her face. Smirking and satisfied, Clove walked away, leaving Prim trembling, terrified to her very soul. </p><p>After training Prim told her mentor, Haymitch, about how Clove had seemed to be giving her special attention, and not in a good way. </p><p>Haymitch said it was fine, that it didn't mean anything, but Prim could see anger and something else, maybe fear, or hatred, burning in his eyes.</p>
<hr/><p>The bell signaling that the last day of training was over rang, and Clove put back the knives she held. </p><p>"Heard anything from 11?" Clove asked turning around from the rack as Lewis walked past her. She followed closely behind him as he walked to the elevators. </p><p>"No," he said. He could practically feel the anger burning threw his skull from Clove's eyes. </p><p>"What about you? Heard anything from 11?" Clove asked Marvel as they stood next to him waiting for the elevators. Marvel just shook his head, trying not to shrivel under Clove's furious gaze. </p><p>"So does that mean that he's declining?" Clove asked not looking for an answer, anger lacing her tone. </p><p>"No, I'm not," Thresh said walking towards them. All three of the careers turned to face him. Thresh would have preferred to have talked to his mentors about this decision, but unfortunately, he wasn't going to get to do that. </p><p>"You'll be apart of our alliance?" Lewis asked, clarifying for them all. </p><p>"Yes," Thresh answered in his deep voice. </p>
<hr/><p>Later, when he got back to his floor, he pulled aside his mentor, Chaff, to tell him about the events of the day. </p><p>Chaff hadn't seemed mad about Thresh's decision, but he didn't necessarily seem to be jumping for joy either. </p><p>Chaff told him to stick with them, but not to stay with them for too long, that once the alliance was down to 2 or 3 people to get out. He didn't want to end up in an alliance with one career standing next to him. </p>
<hr/><p>After dinner hidden in the walls of her temporary bedroom, Clove told Cato about her still-there insecurities of having 11 in the alliance. She felt better that he had excepted, but she still wasn't happy about the fact. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I decided to focus more on the other tributes this chapter instead of focusing on Clove the whole time, which is something I didn't do with Cato, but kinda wishing I had. I'm glad I did it!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I was reading some of my chapters and I realized that i really suck at typing. And that I wrote marvel a lot during Cato's games instead of Brooks, so sorry about that. And sorry about any other confusion my terrible typing and lack of attention while writing has caused.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Ready?" Cato asked from his position on Clove's bed. </p><p>"Do I look ready?" Clove hissed as she pulled on her training shirt. Cato chuckled at her reaction. </p><p>"I meant for your evaluation, but good to know," Cato said standing up. </p><p>"Why wouldn't I be?" Clove said pulling on the matching training pants. </p><p>"Why are you so on edge?" Cato asked. His usual cocky smirk on his face annoyed Clove to great ends.</p><p>"When aren't I?" Clove shot back as she wrapped an elastic around her hair securing it in the ponytail.</p><p>"Nervous?" Cato said in a tone that reminded Clove of a Capitol person looking for gossip. </p><p>"Never," Clove said coldly. </p><p>"Really?" Cato said stepping closer to her. Clove was about to say something but was interrupted, </p><p>"Cato! Get out here right now!" Oceana yelled from the hall. Confused, Cato walked over to the door. </p><p>"You're in trouble," Clove said quietly in a sing-song voice. </p><p>"Yes?" Cato said opening the door to see a mad Oceana. Or a Oceana who looked like she was trying to be mad. </p><p>"I've been looking everywhere for you!" She said in a 'I'm trying to sound mad, but failing' voice. </p><p>"Well you haven't looked everywhere or you would have found me," Cato said. Oceana attempted to glare at him for a second before her eyes darted into the room at Clove, then back at Cato. </p><p>"Come!" she said and walked down the hall. Cato followed her, Clove not to far behind. </p><p>"Found him!" Oceana said walking into the kitchen, all traces of trying to sound mad gone from her voice.</p><p>"He in Clove's room?" Enobaria said in a voice that said 'I was right'. Oceana went back to trying to look mad as she sat at her usual spot at the table. </p><p>"Oceana would you go wake up Lewis?" Enobaria asked after Cato and Clove sat down at the table and after a some what subtle look at Cato.</p><p>Huffing Oceana stood up from the table and walked down the hall. </p><p>The second she was gone Enobaria pushed her plate to the side and she and Cato leaned forward on the table. Enobaria made a motion with her hand telling Clove to come closer. So, confused, Clove leaned forward on the table so that their heads were close together. </p><p>"Clove, you're easily the most talented and deadly tribute this year. Lewis is a joke, an embarrassment of district 2." Clove looked at Cato at the mention of Lewis, she knew they were friends back at the training center. </p><p>"You're victor materiel." She focused again on Enorbaria. </p><p>"Stay with the alliance at the beginning when there's the most tributes and the most threats. It'll make it easier for you so you don't have to hunt down all the tributes yourself. But once the tribute count starts to go down get out of the alliance as soon as you can. The other tributes know that you're their biggest threat, their mentors know that you're the biggest threat, which is why they're telling their tributes to go after you. You're going to have a lot of people coming after you during the bloodbath. I overheard some mentors talking about you, saying that they're telling their tributes to get rid of you during the bloodbath and so should they," Enobaria said. </p><p>"Which districts?" Clove asked, the voice in her head said 'mentors telling their tributes to go after me, they must want them to die', but refrained from saying it. </p><p>"5,7,8,9," Cato answered. </p><p>"So no one in the alliance," Clove said. </p><p>"Not that we know of," Cato said, a look crossed his eyes at the word alliance.  </p><p>"So you're saying it's possible?" Clove asked </p><p>"While you're getting scored we'll see what we can find out," Enobaria said. </p><p>"So I don't have to worry about the alliance too much?" Clove asked. </p><p>"Keep your guard up." </p><p>"Of course." </p><p>"But there shouldn't be anything to worry about," Enobaria finished and something clicked in Clove's head, the hushed voices, the conversation without Lewis, the look at the mention of alliance. </p><p>"You don't want the alliance to find out about this," Clove stated. </p><p>"We don't need them pushing you out or killing you so they can get targets off their backs," Enobaria said. </p><p>"We'll try to keep this out of the ears of the mentors of the district in the alliance as well as we can," Cato said. And that was the end of that conversation since the sound of Oceana's shoes coming down the hall announced her arrival, as well as Lewis'. </p><p>The three at the table leaned back just before Oceana walked into the room, making it seem like they hadn't just been centimeters apart. The avox's took this chance to put plates of food in front of them. </p><p>Lewis' gave Clove a weird look as he sat down, almost to say, 'why are they just putting the food out now', but Clove just turned her attention to the plate in front of her. </p><p>"Any luck with the district 1 girl?" Cato asked stuffing his face with the fluffy waffles. </p><p>"No," Clove said bitterly, "She isn't going to join." </p><p>"Marvel said it's not worth talking to Anna," Lewis said. </p><p>"Marvel?" Cato asked looking up from his plate.</p><p>"District 1 male," Clove informed him. </p><p>"Marvel know Anna before?" Cato asked Lewis. </p><p>"Not really, just that she never said anything and that she's a real lone wolf, but it shouldn't matter much since we have 11" Lewis said. </p><p>"You got 11 in the alliance?" Enobaria asked. </p><p>"Ya, I thought we said last night," Lewis said. </p><p>"You didn't," Cato said stuffing his face more. The first he had heard about it was when Clove told him after dinner the night before. </p><p>"In about 20 minutes you'll go downstairs to a room outside the training center. That's where you'll wait for them to call you in for your evaluation," Enobaria said. </p><p>"This is your time to show off, impress them, don't hold anything back," Cato said. </p><p>"How long do we have with them?" Lewis asked. </p><p>"Depends really. You keep going until they tell you they've seen all they need. The longer they keep you the better," Cato said. </p><p>"So if they have me in there for an hour, it's a good thing?" Lewis asked, but his tone indicated that he was joking. </p><p>"They won't keep you for an hour, but yes," Enobaria said and her tone and look said that she didn't like Lewis too much. </p><p>"Well time to go!" Oceana said wiping her hands on a napkin that just randomly appeared. Clove waited for Lewis to stand up and start walking to the elevator behind Oceana before standing. Cato leaned back in his chair and winked at her as she stood up. </p><p>10 minutes later Clove sat in a room with all the other tributes waiting for the game makers to call in the first person. </p><p>"Anna, district 1," a mechanical voice said over the intercom. </p><p>Anna stood up and walked into the training center.</p>
<hr/><p>"I'm going to shower," Clove said as she stepped out of the elevator. Cato raised his eyebrows at her greeting. </p><p>"You just randomly say that?" he asked as he pushed off the wall he was leaning against. </p><p>"I knew you would be there," Clove said. </p><p>"And if I wasn't?" Cato asked following her.</p><p>"Then I wouldn't have said it," Clove said like it was obvious and looked over her shoulder, "You know I saw you when the doors opened right? You're not hard to miss." </p><p>"Thank you," Cato said like she had just said the most complementary thing ever. </p><p>"I'm gonna shower," she repeated when they reached the door to her room. Cato leaned against the wall next to the wall and leaned down closer to her,</p><p>"Can I join?" he asked smirking. </p><p>Clove pretended to think it over before saying, "No," and shutting the door in his face. </p><p>"Well, that was a slap in the face," Cato muttered as he pushed him self off the wall. </p>
<hr/><p>Clove walked out of her room and towards the tv area wondering how long it would be until the scores went up. </p><p>When she walked into the room she saw Cato lounging on the couch watching some Capitol show. </p><p>"What are you watching?" she asked. Cato turned his head to look at her. </p><p>"No idea," he said sitting up. Clove sat down next to him. </p><p>"I think, it's some kind of cooking show," Cato said. </p><p>"But they have building blocks," Clove pointed out. </p><p>"In a pan on the stove," Cato said. </p><p>"The stove's not on," Clove said looking closer at the screen. </p><p>"Not yet," Cato said. </p><p>"Oh lovely, you're already here!" Oceana said walking into the room with Enobaria, "The scores will be- oh, I love this show! As I was saying the scores will- where is Lewis?" She looked around the room before turning around and walking out. </p><p>"Should I ask Oceana what this shows about?" Cato asked leaning closer to Clove. </p><p>"Only Oceana can get distracted twice trying to say the same sentence," Enobaria said sitting down on the couch on Clove's other side. </p><p>Clove looked at the doorway before quietly asking, "Hear anything?" </p><p>"6 have told their tributes the same thing, but the district that you're allied with haven't heard anything of it," Cato said. Clove nodded. She had 8 people coming at her and trying to find her during the bloodbath. </p><p>The sound of Oceana's shoes again ended the conversation and she entered the room a few seconds later, Lewis not too far behind her. Clove was sure that they had kept their voices low enough that he hadn't heard anything. </p><p>Oceana and Lewis sat on the smaller couch in the room as the screen changed from the building block cooking show to Caesar Flickermen. </p><p>"Each tributes has been rated on a score from 1-12 over 3 days of careful evaluation. District 1 Anna, with a score of 9, Marvel with a score of 9. District 2 Clove, with a score of 10, Lewis with a score of 8." </p><p>8? Someone from district 2 got an 8, Lewis really was an embarrassment. </p><p>Cato nudged Clove's shoulder after Caesar reveled her score, a smirk stretched across her face. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm kinda mad cause I was writing this chapter and then my computer started to die so I plugged it in and everything I had written disappeared and I couldn't find it so I had to rewrite the whole chapter. &gt;:(  my sad attempt at a angry face.<br/>Does anyone else feel like my chapters keep getting shorter? Just me? Not just me?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The same thing happened again, I was writing this chapter and it disappeared, so i had to rewrite. :( still not happy   I tried to show a different angle of Clove in this chapter. Hopefully you like it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"8? Really?" Clove asked in that mood to taunt, after the scores had all been announced. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What? They're hard to impress," Lewis shrugged, leaning back into the couch, acting like it didn't matter that he had gotten the lowest score in the alliance. Thresh had gotten a 10, matching Clove with the highest score that year. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Get to bed," Enobaria ordered, "We'll be up bright and early tomorrow for interview preparation.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>"Clove! You need to make them like you, make them eat out of the palm of your hand, but acting like a sarcastic ice queen isn't going to make them like you!" Enobaria exclaimed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm trying!" Clove snapped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well try harder!" Enobaria snapped back. Clove inhaled trying to channel her inner seduction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Stay here," Enobaria said and walked out of the room. Where would Clove go right now?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clove sighed and looked around the room, she debated going over to the shelf on the other side of the room and smashing one of the vases on it just for the fun of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Enobaria returned dragging Cato behind her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What's he doing here?" Clove asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He's going to help you," Enobaria said and then turned to walk out of the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Help with what?" Cato asked turning to look at Enobaria's retreating form. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Enobaria turned to face them when she got to the doorway, "You probably have the best chance at getting her ready for this interview. I, am getting no where. And it's not like you were doing anything anyway." And with that she left. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ok..." Cato drawled, slowly turning to face Clove, who rolled her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest. Cato sat down in the chair across from Clove that Enobaria had occupied when they started. But by the time she left she had been pacing in front of Clove.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You have an angle to play?" Cato asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Vicious, sadistic bitch," Clove said somewhat sarcastically. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Vicious and sadistic will work, the Capitol will like that. You can lose the bitch part," Cato said ignoring her sarcasm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why aren't you with Lewis?" Clove asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He's learning manners with Oceana. I'm not going to teach him manners, I can't teach anyone manners," Cato said. Clove laughed in her head thinking about it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So if Caesar asked you how you're liking the Capitol so far, how will you answer"? Cato asked getting back on topic. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The Capitol so far has been a blast! Annoying, screaming people everywhere and having to spend everyday with people who might as well stabbed them selves now because they're not going to play any part in the games besides littering the ground," Clove said sarcasm practically dripping off her teeth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cato looked at her eyebrow raised and muttered, "Sarcasm much princess." Clove just looked bored. She had never liked the interview part of the games, what's the point of having to learn about people when they're just going to die days later. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Act vicious, sadistic, like you said. Caesar's most likely going to bring me up, I brought you up last year so he's going to bring me up this year. Tell him about the wedding, anything the Capitol will want to know about it. This year seems to be about parents, so he'll bring yours up. Don't talk about them like you have daddy issues, be nice about them. Bring up your knife skills, you never miss, say that. Got it?" Cato said. Clove nodded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Again, how are you liking the Capitol so far?" Cato repeated. Clove breathed for a second before coming up with her answer, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So far the Capitol has been such an amazing experience. It has so many wonders and I can't wait to come back and see them all," Clove said in a sincere tone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Finally!" Enobaria exclaimed from the doorway. Cato nor Clove had heard her walk in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clove looked back at Cato, who nodded, impressed with her change in way of answering. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Cato, Lewis is ready for you now. Thank you for your help," Enobaria said walking further into the room. Cato winked at Clove before leaving the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That was a lot better. You put in a complement and sounded confident that you were going to come back," Enobaria said sitting down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I am going back," Clove snapped fiercely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know," Enobaria said, "Did you figure out what angle you're going to play?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Vicious, sadistic, confident, but not cocky," Clove said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good, but put on a nice and innocent face, they'll eat that up," Enobaria said, "Sit straighter." Clove sat up straighter and crossed her legs, folding her hands in her lap, like they had been taught in the interview crash courses that district 2 offered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well at least you have that ," Enobaria said complementing her posture. They both turned their heads at the sound of footsteps approaching the room. Rosalyn entered a couple seconds later. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She ready?" Rosalyn asked, wanting to start getting Clove dressed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I believe so," Enobaria said looking back at Clove and searching her mind for anything she might have forgotten. She couldn't think of anything else, so she sent Clove off with Rosalyn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, the prep team threw Clove into a tub that hadn't been in the bathroom that morning and scrubbed her skin with soap and shinned her nails. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They washed her hair with good smelling shampoos and conditioner that made her hair silky and glisten. The shampoo and conditioner were different scents, but they coordinated well together. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They pulled her out of the tub and sat her down in a chair in front of a mirror that Clove didn't think were there when she had first entered the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They pulled the top layer of her hair into a bun near the top of her head. They lightly curled the rest of her hair so that it flowed in curly waves down her back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For her makeup, they highlighted her cheekbones and features so that they stood out, and sparkled in the certain lighting. Her eye shadow was an ombré of browns. A not too dark shade of brown at the bottom of her lid and ended with a light brown under her eyebrow. They applied a glossy red lip gloss, on top of a nude lipstick, that glistened, but didn't pull to much attention to her mouth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her dress was a floor length strapless light pinkish orange color, with a layered skirt. The bottom layer of the skirt was a silk baby pink, but the other 4 layers were the pinkish orange color. There was a piece of materiel that went across and around her rib cage and tool came out the top of it, tracing the low neckline. There was a ribbon that wrapped looser around her under the materiel around her ribs. Clove's shoes were gold 4 inch heels. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A knock on the door pulled their attentions away from Clove's reflection and to Cato who stood in the doorway, now dressed in a dark grey suit, with a black shirt under it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She almost ready?" he asked, looking at Rosalyn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She's ready," Rosalyn said with a smile, not taking her eyes off Clove. Cato's eyes moved from Rosalyn and focused on Clove. His eyes widen slightly at the sight of her and a faint "woah" escaped his lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You look beautiful," he breathed meeting her eyes. Clove gave a small smile. </span>
</p><p>"Let's go!" Oceana's voice yelled from further down the hall. </p><p>"You heard her," Cato said and he and Clove left the room. </p><p>They met up with Oceana, Lewis, who was dressed in a orange suit with a red tie and yellow shirt, and Enobaria, who was in a midnight blue floor length dress, with her hair flat down her hair, but pinned out of her face. </p><p>Rosalyn and Lewis' stylist, a man with green hair and blue tattoos over his face and arms, led them into the elevator and down a couple floors. </p><p>“Walk down the hall and through the door at the end that will take you back stage,” Lewis' stylist instructed when the doors opened. Clove and Lewis stepped out of the elevator and the doors shut taking their stylist up again. Looking in front of them they saw a door about 20 feet in front of them. </p><p>When they stepped through it they were quickly ushered into a line where most of the other tributes were. They were put near the front of the line behind district 1. Anna was at the front of the line, Marvel behind her and Clove stood behind Marvel. Lewis looked around the room before taking his place behind Clove. </p><p>It wasn't much longer that the line was complete and soon after the lights on the stage flickered on and Caesar Flickermen was shown sitting on his plush chair in the middle of the huge stage. </p><p>"Ladies and gentlemen, you’re host for the evening, Caesar Filckermen," a voice introduced. This year Caesar's hair was a light purple and he wore a black suit with gold highlights. </p><p>Caesar welcomed the crowd and then announced Anna to the stage. She kept with the dark look, her strapless dress ended just below her knees, it was pitch black, like her makeup. She kept with a silent approach, giving Caesar one worded answers as much as she could until the bell rang. </p><p>Marvel went with a humorous approach, making the crowd laugh at almost every single one of his sentences. </p><p>And then it was Clove's turn. She walked onto the stage her head held high, and holding up her dress just enough that she wouldn't trip over her skirt. </p><p>"Clove Cavia. Welcome," Caesar said as they shook hands and sat down, "Or as we could say Clove Hirsh. You're married to last years victor, Cato Hirsh!" The crowd screamed at Cato's name. </p><p>"I am," Clove nodded. </p><p>"Cato talked about you a bit last year and I'm so happy that I get to meet you! I've been waiting to interview you since Cato sat next me last year!" Caesar said. </p><p>"I've been so excited as well. I could barely sit still while they were getting me ready," Clove told me, although it was partially a lie. The audience laughed slightly. </p><p>"Now, your wedding. How was it?" Caesar asked leaning forward in his seat, Clove thought she saw some of the audience members do the same. </p><p>"It was amazing," Clove said with a smile. </p><p>"I must say I just loved your dress, it was gorgeous!" Caesar exclaimed. </p><p>"I loved it too!" Clove said. </p><p>"How was the reception?" Caesar asked excitedly. </p><p>"It was so much fun. Cato almost made a scene because there was a bit glitter on his tie," Clove told him recalling that event. </p><p>"A scene? Over a tie?" Caesar laughed. </p><p>"He hates glitter for some reason," Clove said laughing with him. </p><p>"Would you have minded if he made a scene? Like would that have ended the marriage before it started?" Caesar asked. </p><p>"Oh no, not at all. I would've have minded, it would have made it more entertaining," Clove said. </p><p>"You wouldn't have minded a scene at your wedding?" Caesar asked sounding shocked. Clove shock her head. </p><p>"If somebody made a scene at my wedding I would have given them the silent treatment until the day they died!" Caesar exclaimed and everyone, including Clove, laughed. </p><p>"Now Clove, you are Clove Cavia, the great Marcus and Lily Cavia's daughter," Caesar said, Clove nodded, the crowd screamed, "I must say, you have shocking resemblance to your mother. It seems that only yesterday I was talking to her, and now I'm talking to her daughter! Time does fly doesn't it! Or maybe I'm just getting old, that's probably it." Everyone laughed. </p><p>"Caesar you don't look old at all," Clove said. </p><p>"Oh well aren't you kind. Now Clove, how does it feel being here when both of your parents had such memorable games?" Caesar asked. </p><p>"It feels right," Clove said after a second of thought, "This is what I was born to do, it lays in my blood. I know I'm going to win just like my parents." </p><p>"Do you have any special skills?" Caesar asked. </p><p>"I never miss with a knife," Clove said seriously, a faint glare overtaking her features. </p><p>"Never?" Caesar asked, acting unaffected by the look on her face. </p><p>"I never miss. I can throw a knife from hundreds of yards away and I'll hit my target. I could kill you from clear across this stage, once I've marked out my target, you don't live to see the next day," Clove immediately said confidently. Caesar's eyebrows raised at her answer.  </p><p>"Well then, it sounds like you don't want to be crossed in that arena," Caesar said with a light tone. Clove couldn't help, but wonder if he had said that because he had heard what some of the mentors were saying. </p><p>"You don't want me to find you," Clove said darkly, deepening her glare. Caesar seemed to try not to shrivel under her bright gaze. </p><p>Caesar opened his mouth just as the buzzer rang, "Oh well that's it then. Clove, it was lovely finally meeting you," Caesar said standing up, Clove copying the action. </p><p>He held up Clove's hand and yelled, "Clove Cavia-Hirsh everybody!" That was the first time Clove had ever heard anyone say that. </p><p>While Clove walked off the stage she caught Enobaria's gaze in the crowd. She nodded at Clove, a silent way of saying, you did great. </p><p>As she stood backstage, Clove almost laughed at Lewis' interview. He kept stuttering and tripping over his words, the only time he was able to talk straight was when they talked weapons and even then he didn't seem vicious. Clove wondered what he was even doing here.</p>
<hr/><p>Clove walked back into her room, a smirk on her face. There had been no random acts of love, or big surprises in the rest of the interviews. It all worked in her favor. The only thing that might be a small set back later, would be Caesar bringing up Fire Girl in Primrose's interview, but Clove wasn't going to worry about that. She could take on the 13 year old with her hands tied behind her back. </p><p>"That went great," Cato said closing the door as Clove started unpinning her hair. She could hear the smirk in his voice. </p><p>"We have nothing to worry about," Clove said putting pins down on the dresser against on of the walls in the room. </p><p>"Was there ever anything to worry about?" Cato asked as he walked up behind Clove. He placed his hands on her waist and attached his lips to her neck. Clove sighed contently and tilted her head to the side giving him better access to her neck. </p><p>Cato's hand brushed her hair over her shoulder as it all came undone and fell over her shoulders once again. </p><p>"Cato," Clove said softly. </p><p>"Hmm?" he hummed against her neck. </p><p>"I'm gonna shower before dinner," she informed him. </p><p>"You showered yesterday," Cato muttered against her neck. </p><p>"Yes, but tomorrow I'm going into the arena for about a week and there won't be showers there," Clove pointed out. </p><p>"You shower too much," Cato muttered angrily. </p><p>"How do I shower too much?" Clove asked almost laughing, although she knew that Cato just didn't want to let go. "Would you like to join me this time?" </p><p>She felt Cato smirked against her skin and his hand fumble between her shoulder blades to find the zipper of her dress and pulling it down.</p>
<hr/><p>Cato and Clove walked down the hall to the kitchen, late for dinner. They had still been in the shower when Oceana had yelled for them to come for dinner, but they hadn't heard her. </p><p>"Well it's about time!" Oceana exclaimed when they walked into the kitchen. </p><p>"Sorry," Cato said sitting down next to Enobaria. </p><p>"What made you two so late?" Oceana asked, trying to look mad. Clove and Cato just started to eat ignoring her question, certain that nobody needed, or wanted, them to say the answer. </p><p>"Well," Enobaria said pulling the attention away from the couple, "Tomorrow you go into the arena. You wait the full minute on the pedestal or you'll be dead before the games even begin." They already knew that of course. </p><p>"First thing you do is find a weapon, try to kill as many people as you can before you reach the cornucopia," Cato added. </p><p>"The people in the lower districts will be easier to get rid up at the beginning, they have no experience, they'll die with one hit," Enobaria said. </p><p>"Get as much sleep as you can tonight. You don't know what the arena will have, and you'll be up early tomorrow," Cato said. </p><p>Even though he said it, he and Clove didn't get much sleep that night.</p>
<hr/><p>Clove sat in a chair in her room in front of a mirror again as Rosalyn pulled her hair in a high ponytail and then sectioned off into bubbles. One of her prep team members put a small amount of make up on her. </p><p>Her arena outfit was a grey and black body suit. It seemed almost rubbery, so Clove thought that maybe there would be water in the arena. </p><p>"Well you're ready," Rosalyn said stepping back to look at Clove. She smiled at Clove and Clove couldn't help but see the faint about of worry in her eyes. </p><p>The door opened and Cato leaned in the doorway. He looked at Rosalyn, who gave him a small smile. </p><p>"Let's get going," she said to the prep team and they all left the room leaving Clove and Cato alone. Cato shut the door after they had all left and turned to face Clove. </p><p>He breathed in deeply before speaking, "Enobaria will escort you to the hovercraft," he said, but Clove knew what he was really saying, this would be the last time they saw each other before the end of this year's games. </p><p>"Rosalyn will show you into the arena," Cato said. Even though they had spent the entire last night together, it didn't seem like enough of a goodbye. </p><p>They just stared at each other for a few minutes before Cato said, "You're coming out of that arena, I'll do everything I can to make sure you do." Clove nodded, suddenly losing the ability to talk. </p><p>Cato stepped towards her and wrapped his arms around her. Clove buried her head in his chest, tightly gripping the fabric of his shirt. </p><p>"I know you will," Clove mumbled into his chest, Cato's arms tighten around her. </p><p>"I love you Clove," Cato said into her hair. </p><p>"I love you too," Clove said then pulled back. </p><p>Cato looked at her confused when she started pulling off her wedding ring. She silently pressed it into the palm of his hand. </p><p>"I don't wanna lose it," Clove said, and the words, you should have it if I don't come back, hovered in the air around them. </p><p>Cato nodded and leaned down towards Clove resting his forehead against hers. It was in that moment and that moment only, for only a few seconds, they let themselves be overcome with worry. </p><p>Cato crashed his lips against Clove's, and they moved in a passionate waltz, all the words they couldn't say were spoken then. </p><p>"We have to get you into the arena," Cato mumbled his lips barely off of Clove's. The door opened at the perfect time and Enobaria's voice, softer than either of them had ever heard, floated into the room, </p><p>"We need to go." Clove nodded and stepped back out of Cato's arms. She looked at him one last time, before putting on an emotionless mask and walking out of the room, next to Enobaria. </p><p>Cato stood in the room, not looking at the door, for a couple seconds longer before putting Clove's ring into the pocket of his pants and walking out of the room. He went across the hall to Lewis' room.</p>
<hr/><p>Rosalyn joined Enobaria and Clove at the elevators and the three of them rode the elevator up to the roof where the hovercraft was waiting. </p><p>"This is as far as I go," Enobaria said turning to face Clove, "You got this," she said and walked back towards the elevators. </p><p>"I'll see you soon," Rosalyn said just before Clove got into the hovercraft. </p><p>The hovercraft took off as avox's inserted trackers into the tributes arms. </p><p>Once the hovercraft landed again, Clove was led into an underground room that would take her into the arena. </p><p>She walked into the room and found Rosalyn waiting for her. Rosalyn smiled warmly. </p><p>"Enjoy this, I know you will," Rosalyn said and Clove cracked a smile. </p><p>"I'll see you when you come out. As Cato puts it I'm with you until death," Rosalyn said. </p><p>"Really?" Clove said walking further into the room. </p><p>"You have one stylist for your entire life," Rosalyn said and then stepped aside showing the clear glass tube that would bring Clove to the arena. </p><p>Clove took a deep breath before walking over to the tube. It retracted into the ground so Clove could stand on the silver plate before the tube shot up around her again. </p><p>Light blinded her for a second before Clove's eyes adjusted to the new setting. She had been right, everywhere she looked was water. The cornucopia was in the middle of the circle of tributes, about 10 yards in front of them all. Clove looked behind her, more water. Everyone would have to swim to get somewhere. In front of her there was a lake that she would have to swim through to get to the cornucopia, where all the weapons were. Behind her, there wasn't as much, but there was still a good amount of water that you have to swim before getting to the forest that surrounded them from behind. </p><p>Most of the tributes who were told to go after her wouldn't know how to swim, they would be stuck on there pedestals, waiting for Clove to kill them. </p><p>The clock on the cornucopia reached 5. Clove readied herself. </p><p>The gong sounded. </p><p>Clove jumped. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We've reached the games!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It's a bit of a boring chapter and I hope that it isn't too crappy. We've started the games!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clove jumped off the pedestal head first into the water. They had been taught how to swim during training. Most districts don't teach their kids how to swim, most of the tributes from the lower districts would be stuck on their pedestals. </p><p>She emerged when she reached the cornucopia and easily pulled herself up onto the ground around it. As she ran towards the big piece of metal she looked around. The kids from 4 had already reached the ground, same with Lewis, Anna and Marvel. Clove, even weighed down by her wet body suit, was faster then them all, she reached the cornucopia first. </p><p>She looked back at the cornucopia and right in front of her, shimmering in the light, was a beautiful set of knives. Clove smirked and raced from them. </p><p>She knelt on the ground and grabbed two of the knives. Her head snapped up and she watched Anna jump back into the water with a mace and a backpack. Lewis and Marvel were both fighting a tribute from four. She looked behind her and saw the redhead from five and the small girl from 11 jump into the water behind their pedestals, guess they knew how to swim.</p><p>Clove looked around the arena, most of the tributes were stuck on their pedestals, 'waiting for me to kill them,' Clove thought with a dangerous smirk. </p><p>'This year's blood bath will have a high body count, but be really boring', she thought after. </p><p>The tributes from 4's bodies fell into the water dead.</p><p>Clove stood up, next to the knives she had found a belt that would hold them all. Clove wrapped it around her waist and tighten it, securing it around her, then slid her new knives into the pockets. </p><p>She walked tauntingly around the cornucopia staring down every tribute she past by. The tributes from 7 and the boy from 9 were all next to each other, Clove stopped in front of them. These were some of the people who were told to go after her, and now she would kill them. </p><p>Clove slide a knife out of her belt and held it in her hands as she looked everyone of them in the eye, a chilling smirk on her face. </p><p>In the blink of an eye she threw the knife and it landed in the district 9 boy's chest. He fell backwards into the water. </p><p>Panicked looks crossed the faces of both district 7's tributes and they frantically looked around for an escape. But the only escape for them was death. </p><p>The district 7 male paled when another knife embedded itself into the district 7 girl's chest and she joined the district 9 tribute in the water. And seconds later the district 7 male fell dead. </p><p>Clove looked to the right and saw the male from district 5, someone else who was told to kill her. She walked over so she stood in front of him and pulled another knife out of her belt. The boy didn't have the time to look scared because he was dead within seconds of Clove laying eyes on him.                                                                                                                                                </p><p>Clove walked a few steps to the right so she now stood in front of the district 9 girl, she was falling into the water not long after. Next to nine's now empty pedestal was 11. </p><p>"Lewis, go get 11!" Clove yelled. She passed by the girl from 3 as she eyed the girl from 8. </p><p>"Marvel, take care of three!" Clove yelled pointing her knife at the girl. And then throwing it at 8. Lewis jumped back into the water to swim to Thresh and bring him to land. Marvel grabbed a spear he found laying on the ground and got ready to throw it at 3. </p><p>Clove walked around almost half of the cornucopia before getting in front of where the two from 6 stood. They had been on either side of her when they had first arrived in the arena. </p><p>They both fell into the water seconds apart, both with knives sticking out of their chests. </p><p>Next she went to stand by Marvel who stood in front of the last 2 tributes standing on pedestals. The boys from 8 and 3. </p><p>"Which one do you want?" Marvel asked smirking viciously. </p><p>'8', she thought immediately, but as she looked at 3, she thought about the mines under the pedestals and what had happened to the last year's food supplies. An idea came to her mind.</p><p>"I get 8, but keep 3 alive, I have an idea," she said and then threw the knife. 8 died. </p><p>"What would we need someone from 3 for?" Marvel said adjusting his grip on his spear, so it would be easy to throw within seconds. </p><p>"You think the bombs are still under to pedestals?" Clove asked looking at Marvel. Marvel's face changed, he caught onto her idea.</p><p>"You think we could reactivate them?" Marvel asked. </p><p>"I think 3 could. And then we wouldn't have a repeat of last year," Clove said looking out at where 3 stood, shivering. Marvel nodded agreeing with her plan. </p><p>"Hey 3! Do you think you could reactivate the bombs under the pedestals?" Marvel yells out to the boy, who frantically nods his head. </p><p>"Go get him," Clove orders Marvel with a glare that says, 'I'm the boss.' Marvel drops his spear and dives into the water to fetch 3. </p><p>Clove, Marvel, Lewis, Thresh and the boy from 3, who Clove had already forgotten his name, even though he said it about 3 seconds ago, gathered in front of the cornucopia as the cannons started to go off. </p><p>15. </p><p>Clove, Marvel and Lewis cheered, that was the highest body count ever. Clove then counted who she had kill, who she had seen Marvel and Lewis kill and then was confused when she came up 3 people short. </p><p>"Who did you guys kill?" Clove asked Marvel and Lewis. </p><p>"4 and 3." </p><p>"4." </p><p>"That's what I thought. There was 15 cannons, but I can only count 12 kills. Who else died?" Clove asked. </p><p>"The two from 10 and the boy from 12 all tried to swim, but drowned. I watched them all," Lewis informed. Clove nodded, then froze. </p><p>"The girl from 12," Clove said through clenched teeth, "Did she live?" Nobody said anything. </p><p>"Well?!" Clove screeched. </p><p>"I watched her jump into the water and run into the forest," the boy from 3 said quietly. </p><p>"What?!" Clove yelled and whirled around to face him. </p><p>"She- she lived," the boy said even quieter, his voice trembling. Clove was furious, she wanted Primrose dead. Primrose should be dead! </p><p>Marvel caught Clove's arm as she stepped towards 3, "We need him," he reminded her and she stepped back. </p><p>"11, 3, gather the supplies. Lewis, Marvel, let's go get the bombs," Clove ordered, still mad, and set off towards the water.</p>
<hr/><p>2 hours later all their supplies was in a pile away on a patch of land away from the cornucopia and all the bombs from the pedestals were gathered around district 3 as he reactivated them. </p><p>Clove, Lewis, Marvel and Thresh stood watching him, they all had dirt covered shovels in their hands. They had just finished digging holes around the pile of supplies. Now they waited for 3 to finish his job. </p><p>"Ok, there almost ready. Time to bury them," 3 said standing up. </p><p>"What do you mean there almost ready? Reactivate them!" Clove yelled. </p><p>"I'll reactivate them when there where we want them or we won't be able to move them without setting them off," 3 said, "I'll fully reactivate them when there where we want them." </p><p>"Let's start burying," Clove barked. </p><p>After another hour they watched 3 reactivate the last bomb. </p><p>"Are they ready?" Clove asked when he stood up. </p><p>"Yes," he said keeping his head low.</p><p>"Wait. How are we going to get to the food?" Lewis asked. Clove looked at 3 expectingly, waiting for him to answer the question.</p><p>3 briefly met her burning gaze before his eyes hurried back to the ground, he then answered,</p><p>"Right here," he said pointing to a strip of land, "Is where no bombs are planted. That's the pathway to the supplies. If anyone walks on any other spot around the supplies the bombs will go off." </p><p>"And the food won't blow up?" Lewis asked. </p><p>"No, it will just set off a chain-reaction, but the bombs are planted far enough away that if they do go off, the food shouldn't get blown up," 3 explained. </p><p>"Perfect," Clove said, "Now rest up and eat, we'll hunt later." Clove walked off. </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Everyone up!" Clove yelled. </p><p>Everyone, besides Clove, had been laying on the ground trying to get as much sleep as they could. </p><p>"3!" Clove yelled as she threw a spear at the small boy, "Stay here and watch the supplies. It anything happens to it, you'll pay for it. Understand?" The boy from 3 nodded understanding that if anything happened to the camp, he life would be the cost. </p><p>Clove looked around at the wall of trees surrounding the water that surrounded them. </p><p>"3, where was the girl from 12 standing?" Clove asked. </p><p>"Right in front of you," the boy said, just loud enough for Clove to hear. </p><p>"Lovely," Clove said. </p><p>"Let's go," Marvel said enthusiastically, walking up next to Clove. </p><p>"Let's," Clove murmured, a vicious smirk growing on her face. She wanted to see Primrose's face in the sky tonight. </p><p>Clove and Marvel dived into the water, and Lewis helped Thresh swim over to the land, that Clove and Marvel now stood on.</p><p>Clove turned around to start walking into the forest when Lewis and Thresh's feet hit land. </p><p>"Step lightly, be quiet," Clove stopped and whispered before starting off into the forest again. </p><p>They walked forward through the trees, eyes and ears open for anyone they might come across. Clove wanted to find Primrose and silt her throat. </p><p>A branch snapped under a foot, and Clove stopped and her head swiveled around to face the people following her, a glare on her face. </p><p>"That wasn't us," Marvel whispered. Clove looked around the now darkened forest, a smirk on her face at the thought of catching an unfortunate prey. </p><p>A knife came whirling through the air towards them. Clove jumped back avoiding the knife that embedded in the tree next to them. </p><p>"Over there!" Marvel yelled as a streak of black ran towards them. Clove dodge another knife that came flying at her and grabbed a knife out of her belt.</p><p>Anna came to a stop a couple feet in front of them on the strip of ground they were using as a path. Clove glared at her. </p><p>"What are you trying to do?" Clove asked her. It was clear that Anna knew she had started a four against one fight, that she was most likely going to lose. </p><p>"Trying to kill you," Anna said threw her teeth. Lewis, Marvel and Thresh had taken out their weapons. </p><p>"Hmm," Clove hummed, district 1 had maybe heard about the plan to eliminate her. </p><p>Marvel threw his spear, but Anna dodged it and let go of another knife that had appeared in her hand. Clove dodged it, but her feet slipped on the dirt and fell out from under her. She hit the ground at the same time as something else. </p><p>Lewis' head. </p><p>Clove had dodged the knife, but Lewis hadn't. It had been sharp enough to go right threw his neck. </p><p>Anna had taken that moment of distraction within the group to make her getaway. </p><p>Clove remained on the group staring at Lewis' head that had rolled in the opposite direction from where his body had landed. </p><p>She had never seen, in person, a head decapitated from a body, and being this close to it started to mess with her. </p><p>"You good?" Marvel asked her, but she barely heard him over the high ringing in her ears. She thought she might have heard a cannon. </p><p>"Clove?" Marvel asked reaching down to grab her arm. She jumped under his touch. </p><p>"Come on, stand up. It's fine," Marvel said pulling her up.  Clove felt numb. </p><p>"Let's go back," Clove said quietly and turned around back towards the direction of the lake. </p><p>"Help him," Clove said distantly to Marvel when they reached the lake. </p><p>Clove didn't say anything else. </p><p>"What happened?" the district 3 boy asked when the now group of three arrived back at the camp. </p><p>"Lewis got decapitated," Marvel filled him in as Clove went to sit at the edge of the island, dangling her feet off the edge.</p><p>She didn't know why this was bothering her so much, but she couldn't get the image of Lewis' head on the ground next to her, eyes still open, out of her head. She had seen hundreds of dead bodies before, she had grown up watching the games, she had killed people before, she had seen pictures of people's heads not attached to their bodies, she had seen people get their heads cut off in the games before, but seeing it in person, and that close up, that was something different. </p><p>A silver parachute floated down from the sky and landed in her lap. That broke her out of the trance she was in. </p><p>She opened the container and lifted the note on top up with a numb feeling motion. </p><p>'District 1 found out this morning. Anna knows, but Marvel doesn't. Anna got the message through a gift. I can't intercept Marvel's sponsor gifts, but you can. </p><p>-Cato' </p><p>So Anna did know. Clove would have to watch for any gifts that came for Marvel, or anyone really. </p><p>She dropped the note into the water and looked in the parachute. Laying at the bottom of the container was a pocket knife with a black handle. That's what she had been missing. </p><p>She slide the knife into her belt and continued to look out aimlessly at the rippling water in front of her.</p>
<hr/><p>Cato would be lying if he said he wasn't worried about Clove. This wasn't like her. She needed to be on top of her game here, and sitting around staring at water isn't helping her. </p><p>Her allies wouldn't kill her, yet. And soon the district 1 mentors would be sending a gift in for Marvel informing him about the ongoing plan to eliminate Clove. </p><p>Clove had killed everyone who would have originally come after her, but unfortunately that wasn't the end.</p><p>Cato felt Clove's ring in his pocket.</p>
<hr/><p>Clove was still sitting by the water's edge when the sun rose the next morning. For the first time in hours, she looked over her shoulder. </p><p>Thresh was lying on the ground, his back to her, most likely sleeping. The boy from 3 still held the spear Clove had given him the night before and was leaning against the cornucopia. Marvel sat eating a pack of dried fruit near Thresh. He caught Clove's gaze and lifted his eyebrows as a way of saying, 'what now?' </p><p>What was now? </p><p>Clove counted the remaining tributes. Both from 1, one from 2, one from 3, one from 5, both from 11 and one from 12. 8 left. </p><p>They would hunt again today that was a given. 3 would stay at the camp and stay on guard. Clove, Thresh and Marvel would go looking for tributes. And they would find some. </p><p>They would leave before sun down, they would leave soon. </p><p>"Fill the canteens, eat up! We leave within the hour," Clove commanded standing up. Thresh woke up at the sound of her demanding voice. </p><p>15 minutes later, they were swimming back out towards the main ground in the arena. </p><p>They walked through the forest listening for anything. There wasn't many tributes left, which made it harder to find them. </p><p>"Hey," Marvel whispered stopping. Clove and Thresh stopped too. </p><p>"Look," Marvel said pointing out to some trees. Clove moved closer to him, trying to see what he had deemed necessary to stop for. And he was right. Sitting out between some trees, was Anna. </p><p>Clove placed a finger against her lips telling them the be quiet. </p><p>Using the trees as cover, the three of them slowly moved towards the black haired girl. </p><p>Clove and Marvel stayed so they would arrive next to her, Thresh went around so he would come up behind her. </p><p>As Clove and Marvel approached her, Anna suddenly decided to stand up. Clove dashed forward, Marvel right behind her. </p><p>Anna saw Clove and Marvel appear out of the trees and in a split second decision she turned to run, but she ran right into Thresh's ax that he had found that morning. </p><p>Blood spilled out of her mouth as she stood wide eyed staring at Thresh. Her legs them crumpled under her and Thresh pulled out the ax. Anna fell to the ground blood spilling out of her mouth and stomach. </p><p>"Nice job," Clove commented, "I was starting to think you didn't have it in you." Thresh just shrugged in response, he didn't say much. </p><p>"Let's keep going," Marvel said, and even though Clove did what he said she sent him a glare saying, 'I make the orders.'</p><p>After hours of walking through the forest and not finding anyone, a flash of red caught Clove's eye. She stopped dead in her tracks and her head snapped to the side. She looked the red headed girl right in the eye. </p><p>Then the girl was sensible enough to run. Clove ran right after her.</p><p>After seeing why she had stopped, Marvel and Thresh ran after the two girls. </p><p>By the time they had caught and killed the girl the sun was almost fully out of the sky. So Clove made the decision to camp out under some tree. </p><p>Clove made a fire. No one would attack them, and even if they did, they'd die. </p><p>Thresh volunteered to take first watch, which Marvel was happy with, he had laid right down and fallen asleep. Clove on the other hand, wasn't so sure about it. She sat against a tree, polishing her knives, one by one. </p><p>"You're not sleeping?" Thresh asked gruffly after an hour or so of sitting there silently staring into the fire. </p><p>"No," Clove answered simply. </p><p>"Why not?" Thresh asked. </p><p>"I don't trust you not to kill me in my sleep," Clove said not taking her eyes away from her task. </p><p>"I take it, it wasn't your idea to bring me in," Thresh said moving his eyes to look at her. </p><p>"Nope," Clove said popping the 'p', "That was all Lewis." </p><p>"And you agreed?" Thresh asked. Man, he asked a lot of questions. </p><p>"I was outnumbered. And it wasn't exactly at the top of my priority list," Clove said looking at him. </p><p>"What was? Scaring that 13 year old?" Thresh asked making Clove smirk. So he had seen her and Primrose 'talking'. </p><p>"Maybe. Why do you care?" Clove asked deciding that it was her turn to ask the question. </p><p>"She's probably scared enough as it is. She doesn't need you adding to it," Thresh said. </p><p>"What are you, her lawyer?" Clove scoffed. Thresh just rolled his eyes. </p><p>"What's your obsession with her?" Clove asked. </p><p>"I could ask you the same thing," Thresh replied smoothly. </p><p>"Are you?" Clove asked. </p><p>"Am I what?" Thresh asked confused. </p><p>"Are you asking?" Clove specified.</p><p>"No," Thresh said looking back at the fire. </p><p>"Why not?" Clove asked. </p><p>"I don't think I want to know the answer," Thresh said. Clove smirked at his words. </p><p>"Sleep, you need it. You haven't slept in two days. I promise I won't kill you," Thresh said. Clove considered his words. They were true, she didn't sleep last night and she did need it. </p><p>"If you kill me tonight I'll come back and haunt you," she said while she lay down. </p><p>"I'm shaking," Thresh replied. Clove hated that it seemed like he wasn't scared of her. </p><p>The next morning Clove regretted sleeping that night. Because when she woke up, Thresh was gone. And in his place under the tree he had been sitting in front of, sat a sponsor gift. </p><p>"Marvel, wake up!" Clove hissed kicking Marvel's shoulder. </p><p>"What?" Marvel asked groggily as Clove stood up. </p><p>"Thresh's gone," Clove said. That woke Marvel up. </p><p>"What?" he asked again. Clove picked up the sponsor gift. The gift was gone, but the note was still there. </p><p>'Get out now.' </p><p>"Dammit," Clove hissed. </p><p>"What?" Marvel asked again, only this time more agitated. He didn't like being kept out of the loop. </p><p>"His mentor told him to leave," Clove said dropping the note. </p><p>"Damn," Marvel said standing up. </p><p>It hung in the air that soon this alliance would be over. Alliances never stay when there's only two people left.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I swear I'm not trying to rush this.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Marvel and Clove had returned to their camp, aware that at any moment Thresh could jump out at them. </p><p>Right now, Clove was throwing knives against the cornucopia, denting the metal. Marvel sat eating more dried fruit and the district 3 boy sat silently trying to make them forget that he was there.</p><p>"So what's the plan boss?" Marvel called over to Clove mockingly, throwing the empty package to the ground. </p><p>"We keep looking," Clove answered, keeping her gaze on her target. </p><p>"When?" Marvel asked, standing up. </p><p>"Whenever I suppose," Clove said. </p><p>"Now?" Marvel suggested, he was bored. </p><p>"Sure," Clove said, walking froward the collect her knives from the huge chunk of metal. Marvel smiled happily. </p><p>"3, if anything happens you're dead," Clove said as she walked past him. She had started saying right to his face that she would kill him instead of just implying it. </p><p>Clove and Marvel swam back to other piece of land in the arena. Clove was starting to get tried of all the swimming. </p><p>It was still bright out so they didn't need torches or night glasses, but they also didn't bring any with them so they would have to be back before dark. </p><p>They hadn't been walking long when Marvel broke the somewhat comfortable silence they had been in, </p><p>"So, Cato Hirsh, huh? He seems, vicious," Marvel said, taking the time to chose his words. </p><p>"Do you have a point to this or are you just running your mouth?" Clove asked dryly, not in the mood for small talk. </p><p>"You don't wear a ring," Marvel said. Clove gave him a sideways glance wondering why he had noticed that. </p><p>"Didn't bring it," Clove said, wanting to end the conversation. </p><p>"Trouble in paradise?" Marvel asked smirking. </p><p>"Rule two 1," Clove said stopping. Marvel stopped surprised and looked back at her. </p><p>"Never ask me about my personnel life, understand? We're here to kill not make friends," Clove said and then started walking again. </p><p>"Just making conversation Clove," Marvel said, following her again. </p><p>"Well don't. Either talk about the games, or don't talk at all," Clove said, eyes scanning the trees around them.</p><p>Marvel raised his eyebrows and mouthed, 'okay', sarcastically. He had always wished that he would have a friendly ally in the games. He didn't get one. </p><p>They walked for an hour more, until the sun was at the highest point in the sky. </p><p>"Can we take a water break?" Marvel asked. </p><p>"You've never wanted a water break before, why do need one now?" Clove asked as she continued to walk on, not caring if Marvel was still next to her or not. </p><p>"I'm thirsty," Marvel shrugged. </p><p>"Walk and drink. It's called multitasking," Clove said. </p><p>"What does multitasking have to do with anything?" Marvel asked. Clove rolled her eyes at his stupidity. </p><p>"If you can walk and talk, you can walk and drink. It'll be helpful for everyone if you do," Clove said bitterly.</p><p>"How would that help anyone?" Marvel asked. </p><p>"You would stay hydrated, and you'd shut up while you hydrate. Helps everyone," Clove said. </p><p>"You don't like me much, do you?" Marvel said as he took off his backpack. </p><p>"I like you better when you drink," Clove said as another way of saying she liked it better when he wasn't talking. </p><p>Marvel tried to take out his canteen of his backpack, but as he wrestled it out of the bag, a bunch of other stuff that had been in the bag fell out and nosily hit the ground. </p><p>Clove spun around and glared at him. Marvel held out the full canteen, silently offering Clove water, but her glare just got more dangerous. </p><p>Marvel drank out of his canteen for a longer amount of time than needed just to piss off Clove, and then slowly started to repack his bag. </p><p>Clove huffed angrily and crossed her arms over her chest. She was close to killing Marvel. </p><p>"Ready," Marvel said with a big boyish grin, hooking his thumbs under the straps of the bags that were over his shoulders. He looked like an overexcited boy scout. </p><p>Wordlessly, Clove just turned back around and started walking again. Marvel had decided that it was fun to piss off Clove. That would be his entertainment. </p><p>Marvel purposely started stepping on branches after about 20 more minutes of walking, waiting for Clove's reaction. He could see her tense up after each snap of a branch. </p><p>He stepped on another and it snapped louder than the other, Clove stopped and kicked his ankle knocking him to the ground. </p><p>"Stop it!" she hissed angrily and as Marvel looked up at her from his spot on the ground, he was scared for his life for the first time in the games. He looked at Clove's murderous glare and thought that she was going to kill him right then and there, but to his surprise she kept walking. </p><p>"Are you trying to get us killed?" Clove hissed when Marvel caught up to her. </p><p>"No," Marvel said realizing that messing with Clove would probably get him killed. </p><p>It was probably 5 minutes later that Clove stopped and her head snapped over to Marvel. Marvel was sure that she had decided to kill him and whatever reason she had to let him live didn't matter anymore, but as he looked at her, he realized that she wasn't looking at him. She was looking past him. </p><p>He followed her gaze to where a small girl knelt by some bushes, her back to them. The girl from 11.</p><p>Slowly, they started to walk up behind her. Clove pulled out one of her knives as they reached her, and before the girl could stand up Clove had silt her throat. </p><p>"Marelyn?" A small voice called, coming towards them. A few seconds later Primrose Everdeen walked out from behind a tree. </p><p>Her eyes widened as she look at her allies dead body and the two careers standing behind the body. </p><p>She looked at Clove and then turned and ran, something she had wanted to do in the training center. </p><p>Clove and Marvel took after her, running after her at their full speeds. Clove was faster than Marvel so she was closing in on Prim before him.</p><p>Prim was smart though. She zig-zaged through trees, going left and right, trying to out run Clove. </p><p>Clove had almost caught up with her when Prim took a sharp left and Clove had to almost stop to make the turn and continue to go after her. </p><p>But that small error was what made her lose Prim. She broke out into a small clearing in the trees and couldn't see the girl she had been chasing anymore. Leading out of the clearing was three different paths, any one of them could have been the one Prim had chosen to make her escape with. </p><p>Marvel came into the clearing and stood next to her looking at the paths. </p><p>"Which one do you think she took?" he asked almost breathlessly. </p><p>"Could have been any," Clove said frustrated. She knew that the chances were really low that whichever path she decided to take she would find Primrose. </p><p>Suddenly she remembered that Katniss had been a climber so quickly she looked at the tops of the trees that surrounded the clearly. She did her best to hold in her scream when she didn't see the girl in any of them. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry for a short chapter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clove stomped back to the lake surrounding the island with the cornucopia. That was the second time that Prim that escaped Clove. When she had sat in front of the girl at the training center she had already thought of 20 different ways to kill her, but she kept getting away. If they had been back in 2 the girl would be long dead already.</p><p>As she and Marvel swam back to the island, she contemplated surprise attacking Marvel and drowning him then. But she didn't know if he was skilled in water or not. And he was bigger than her, he could easily overpower her, and not having her feet on solid ground could turn the odds against her. </p><p>She stalked past 3 and knew that she would most likely kill him today, or at the latest, tomorrow. And then right after that would be Marvel. </p><p>She knew that her alliance with Marvel wouldn't last much longer, and that the second she killed 3, the alliance would be offer. She also thought about Thresh still being out there, and she knew she probably didn't want to face him alone.</p><p>The night Thresh had left the alliance they hadn't brought much supplies with them, so Thresh had close to no food. He would starve soon, and if they came across him, he might be weaker and easier to take on. </p><p>Clove turned to look at Marvel and 3. Marvel was running a hand through his soaking hair as water drops ran down his face, making it look like he was crying. </p><p>The boy from 3 was quiet like always, still standing in the same place against the cornucopia, spear in hand. Nothing would drastically chance when he died, he was useless now anyway. </p><p>Just as Clove was about to look away, a silver parachute started floating down towards Marvel. </p><p>'I can't intercept them, but you can.' She remembered Cato's note. </p><p>Clove quickly walked towards Marvel, who was looking at the ground letting the water run off his face. He didn't see the parachute until Clove suddenly showed up next to him and her hands shot out. </p><p>"What's that?" He asked as Clove walked away from him, something in her hands. </p><p>She walked towards the edge of the island opening the box. She pulled out the note, that so clearly said to kill her, and threw the note into the water. Just like she had with her own. </p><p>She turned back to face Marvel and held out the package, </p><p>"I think it's for you." </p><p>"Alright," Marvel said, taking the box from her. He pulled out a small glass bottle full of dark purple liquid. </p><p>"What is it?" Marvel asked, looking at the bottle. Clove took the bottle from him and held it up. She opened the top and smelled the liquid. She knew that smell, but she couldn't name it. </p><p>"3! Come here!" Clove commanded. Hesitantly, 3 walked over to them. </p><p>When he reached them, Clove held out the top of the bottle, that had a syringe attached, out to him. He looked at the syringe, traces of fear on his face. </p><p>"Open," Clove said with fake kindness. Slowly and hesitantly, he opened his mouth. Clove squeezed a drop of the purple liquid into his mouth. </p><p>He got a tired look on his face, his eyes slowly drooped closed and he fell to the ground. </p><p>"You think he's dead?" Marvel asked. </p><p>Still holding the bottle Clove crouched down next to the unconscious boy. She placed her fingers on his neck and felt the strong beats of a pulse. </p><p>"He's alive. It could be sleep syrup," Clove guessed, trying to remember what sleep syrup smelt like. There were some classes back at the training center where you learned about stuff like sleep syrup. They had to smell and identify different types of liquids and plants. </p><p>"I think it's sleep syrup," Clove said standing up, "He should walk up in the next hour or so." </p><p>"Or we could just kill him now?" Marvel asked. </p><p>"In his sleep? Now where's the fun in that," Clove said, she wanted to have at least one slow painful death in the arena. </p><p>In the next hour, Marvel had wandered off. Probably in search of more food, he ate all the time. Clove stuck close to the sleeping boy, ready to pounce the second he woke up. </p><p>30 minutes later, he moved. He rolled over and Clove didn't give him a chance to stand up. She was on him before he knew what was happening. </p><p>"Time to die," Clove said, smirking sadistically. She pulled a knife out of her belt and slowly ran it over the bottom of his neck above the collar of his shirt, but not hard enough to draw blood. </p><p>She could see the terror all over his face, and that just made her smirk bigger. She ran her fingers over his forehead moving his brown hair out of his face. </p><p>"Where to start," she hummed to herself loud enough for him to hear. </p><p>She took the knife again and slowly ran it over his forehead just under his hair line. This time she drew blood. Next she ran the blade over his cheeks until they were covered in blood. Blood had started to flow down his forehead and into his eyes. </p><p>He whimpered in pain as Clove dug the knife into his bottom lip, again drawing blood. His face was covered in blood. Clove moved down to his neck. She sliced his neck. Not deep enough so that it he would die immediately, but deep enough that he would bleed out. </p><p>Clove stood up and after a long look at the bloody boy, she looked around the cornucopia for Marvel. Surprised he hadn't come and join her. </p><p>He was standing by the food pile, a parachute in one hand, and a note in the other. </p><p>He looked over at her, a storm in his eyes. </p><p>Clove's hand reached for her belt, ready to pull out a knife at any moment. </p><p>Marvel knew. </p><p>He dropped the parachute and started walking over to her. He grabbed a spear as he walked. Clove pulled out a knife and got in position to dodge a spear coming at her. </p><p>Weirdly, Marvel kept walking to the point that he was almost in front of her. </p><p>Just as he lifted his spear the cornucopia started shaking and spinning. </p><p>Clove and Marvel were both thrown in the water, along with the dead body of the boy from 3. </p><p>A cannon went off. </p><p>Clove and Marvel both pulled themselves onto land, couching and sputtering. They pulled themselves up and looked at the cornucopia. It had stopped moving. </p><p>The game makers had wanted them off the cornucopia, but why?</p><p>Clove thought about that too early. </p><p>She just nearly dodged the spear that came flying at her. And then Marvel tackled her to the ground, but Clove was good at hand-to-hand combat. With a small bit of struggle she managed to flip them over so that she sat on top of him. She pinned him down, she knees on his elbows and her feet holding down his wrists. </p><p>He grunted as he struggled to get out of her hold. </p><p>Clove kept one hand on his neck, squeezing it, and her other reached for a knife in her belt. She pulled of a long bladed, black handled knife.</p><p>In one fluid motion, she brought it down into his heart. He immediately stopped struggling and lay there, eyes opened. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 29</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A cannon went, and then came the announcement. </p><p>"Attention, tributes, attention. Beginning at sunrise, there will be a feast. We plan on being very generous host, you all need something desperately. This will be the only announcement," Claudius Templesmith's voice rang out over the arena. </p><p>'you all need something.' What could be mean by that? What could Clove need? She had weapons, food, water, supplies,</p><p>The supplies! </p><p>Clove's head whipped over to look at the island. The mountain of supplies was gone, the spinning had sent off the bombs. She must have missed them going off while she was underwater. </p><p>It was all gone. She cursed 3 and hoped he was burning in hell. </p><p>The game makers had planned this, Clove was sure of it. They had gotten Clove and Marvel off the island so the feast could be at the cornucopia, they had destroyed all of their supplies so that now she needed something.</p><p>They were smart, she had to give them that. </p>
<hr/><p>Cato honestly wasn't surprised of what the game makers had planned. It seemed like something they would do. </p><p>He stood in the mentor room, alone with Chaff and Haymitch. The mentors for the remaining tributes from 11 and 12. Mentors had sulked out quickly after their tributes had been killed, mostly by Clove. </p><p>Only minutes earlier the district 1 mentor had left, minutes after the district 3 mentor, who had seemed happy that his tribute had made it that far, thanks to Clove.</p><p>The wall in front of them was covered in screens. Each one featuring a different camera angle of the arena. Most of them only showed the greenery of the arena since there were only 3 tributes remaining, but after the feast there would only be one. </p><p>Clove. Cato was sure of it. This would all be over by tonight. He would have Clove in his arms again in a matter of hours.</p><p>The door to the room opened and Enobaria walked in. </p><p>"You should get some sleep," she said quietly, arriving next to Cato. Although the other mentors didn't seem to pay attention or care about their conversation. They stared intently at the screens showing their tribute and stood far enough away from Cato and Enobaria that they probably wouldn't be able to make out all the words they said.</p><p>"I'm fine," Cato said gruffly, not taking his eyes off the screen in front of him. </p><p>"Cato, you've been looking at this screen for the past 15 hours, you need sleep. You can come back when the feast starts," Enobaria said, "I'll watch while you sleep. She'll be fine."</p><p>Cato thought about it, he was tired. She would be fine, and ya, he could come back at when the feast starts. Nothing would happen until then. </p><p>"Fine," he said lowly, and with one last look at the screen showing Clove, he walked out of the room. </p><p>He slowly made his way through the crowd of Capitol people gathered in the lobby of the building. Eyes all glued to the screens around them, hoping that their selected tribute would win.</p><p>Over the past few days Cato had spent some time out here, talking with them, convincing them that bidding on Clove would be in their favor, and so far, they hadn't been let down. And being her husband and a past victor, definitely had it's advantages, they pitied him, sided with him, congratulated him on his victory and marriage, they seemed to enjoy talking to him.  And he wasn't to bad at convincing either. He was surprisingly good at talking up Clove, although he was sure he had almost never complemented her before. </p><p>He stopped at the bar and ordered a drink. As he waited for it, his eyes drifted to a television over the bar. </p><p>"Stressful isn't it?" A voice next to him said. Cato turned his head to see a man with orange skin with black details over his face looking at him, he was sipping on a straw, pulling the blue liquid out of the glass and into his mouth. </p><p>"I can't imagine what you must be going through, being her husband and all. I'm betting on your wife," he added. </p><p>"You won't be sorry," Cato said, with a smile that he had put on for all the Capitolites he had talked to. </p><p>"I'm sure I won't, but I would like to know how you sleep at night. With your wife in the arena," he said. His question surprised Cato, no one had asked about him. </p><p>"Not many people ask about me," Cato said. The man just shrugged. Cato inhaled, </p><p>"It's, it's been difficult, but I have no doubt that she'll come out," Cato said. </p><p>"They all come out," the man said, "But only one's breathing." </p><p>"She'll be that one," Cato said. The man looked at him, a debating and thoughtful look on his face. </p><p>"How long have you known her?" He asked, after a long pause. </p><p>"Oh, years. We grew up together," Cato said. </p><p>"When'd you get together?" </p><p>"She's was 13, I was 15," Cato said, then said a 'thanks' to the man who put his drink in front of him. The man nodded, the same debating look on his face. </p><p>"I wish her luck," he said finally. </p><p>"Thank you," Cato said, nodding at the man. The orange man held out his hand to Cato, who shook it. </p><p>"It was a pleasure speaking with you, Mr. Hirsh," he said and turned back to the tv in front of him. Cato nodded one last time as he picked up the glass full of beer and walked to the elevators. </p><p>When the elevator opened on the second floor, Cato contemplated turning on the tv in the sitting room, but decided against it. He turned to go down the hall that his room was down, but at the last moment changed his mind and turned to go down the other hallway. The one that held Clove's room. </p><p>He opened the door to her empty temporary room, and walked in. He placed his almost empty glass of beer on the table next to the bed and lay down. </p><p>He could still smell Clove in the blankets, even after of days of emptiness. </p><p>God, he loved that smell. Since the day he had met Clove she had had some sort of floral scent. He loved that smell, that smell set desire pulsing through him. </p><p>And quickly, surrounded by her smell, he fell asleep. </p><p>It wasn't much later that he woke up. Only a few hours later. The glass of beer still on the table. </p><p>He drank the rest of it and put the fully empty glass back on the table. </p><p>He stood up and returned to the still full lobby. </p><p>The orange skinned man no longer sat at the bar. </p><p>He walked in the room and only Enobaria turned to look at him. The other two mentors were still there and still payed him no attention. Nothing had happened. </p><p>"You're just in time," Enobaria commented, and seconds later a table appeared in front of the cornucopia. </p><p>Cato crossed his arms over his chest and watched the events. </p><p>Primrose Everdeen jumped out of the cornucopia. That girl was smart. </p><p>But seconds after she grabbed her bag and turned to run, a knife came flying at her. Knocking her to the ground. </p><p>Clove appeared from behind the cornucopia and ran at the girl. She quickly tackled her to the ground. </p><p>Cato watched intently as Clove pinned Prim to the ground. She had to know that Thresh was nearby. </p><p>She did. Before fully focusing on Primrose, Clove looked around, seeing if she could see Thresh. She couldn't, so she focused back on her prey. </p><p>"So, you lived past the bloodbath did you?" Cato heard Clove say.</p><p>"Well, I'm sorta glad, now I get to finish you off nice and slow. I wouldn't have been able to do that in the bloodbath," Clove continued on, smirking more as Prim trembling beneath her. </p><p>Slowly, Clove pulled out the pocket knife, she had gotten as a gift, out of her belt. </p><p>"Where shall we start?" Cato looked over at the district 12 mentor, his face covered in barely contained rage.</p><p>Cato looked back at the screen, Clove was lightly dragging the knife over Prim's face, a taunting smirk on her face. </p><p>"You've escaped me enough, you'll pay for it," Clove said, her smirk turning into a glare. But then the smirk reappeared, </p><p>"I don't know how you escaped me after your little ally died. What did you call her? Marelyn? Yes, that it. It's a shame she died because of you," Clove said cruelly. </p><p>"She- she, she didn't die because of me," Prim said, trying to sound confident, but it was hard when she couldn't stop trembling and was stuck looking at a girl who made it clear she was going to suffer. </p><p>"Yes, it is. If you had just died at the bloodbath like you were supposed to, you wouldn't have allied with her and she wouldn't have died while we were looking for you. It's your fault she's dead." Clove knew what she was saying was fake. That girl would have died whether or not she had allied with Prim. </p><p>Cato looked over at the district 11 mentor at the mention of his other, dead, tribute. Chaff held his neutral expression. </p><p>When Cato looked back at the screen, Thresh had appeared out of no where.</p><p>He grabbed Clove a second after she realized he was there and flung her against the hot metal of the cornucopia. </p><p>"You kill that girl?!" he yelled. Clove couldn't deny it. He threw her against the cornucopia. </p><p>Cato paled. </p><p>Just as Thresh was about to repeat the action, Clove was finally able to free one of her daggers and stabbed it into Thresh's heart.</p><p>She had been mid-air when she made the kill, so they both fell to the ground in a pile of limbs. </p><p>She didn't move. She just lay there. That terrified Cato. </p><p>He couldn't watch anymore. He turned around and left the room. All eyes in the room watched him go. </p><p>Before the door shut Cato heard a cannon. </p><p>'It was 11. It was 11' he kept repeating in his head. </p><p>"Mr. Hirsh," a voice said from behind him as he walked quickly through the lobby. He whirled around the see the orange skinned man, and a few other Capitol people, standing behind him. </p><p>"This will help her," the orange man said holding up a vile of dark liquid, "Until she gets back to the Capitol." </p><p>"What is it?" Cato asked, while thinking in his head, 'if they're giving a gift she has to still be alive.' </p><p>"It will help her head, take away the ache for a few hours. She just needs a couple drops," he said. </p><p>"Thank you," Cato said sincerely as he took the vile and almost ran back to the mentor room. He had a feeling that they didn't really care about Clove. They were just bidding on her and didn't want to lose money. He doubted they even knew her name, since he kept calling her, her, she and your wife. </p><p>Enobaria turned to look at him as he flung the door open and followed him over to the sponsor gift table at the edge of the room. </p><p>Cato handed the gift to the avox standing there and she placed it in the parachute as Cato quickly scribbled over the note. </p><p>'Just take a few drops every couple hours and you'll be fine. You're so close, just hang in there for a little longer. I love you.' </p><p>He handed the note over to the avox and without reading it, she placed it in the parachute. </p><p>Cato pressed his hands on the table, putting all his weight into them, and hung his head. This had to work. It just had to. </p><p>Enobaria nudged him making him look up, she gestured to the screens. </p><p>Cato walked back to where he had stood before he left. Chaff had left the room. </p><p>Clove had pushed herself up onto one of her forearms and had lifted the other to her head, pain showed all over her face. Thresh's body still lay inches from her. </p><p>The parachute slowly fell from the sky and landed next to her. </p><p>Cato watched her, his breath stuck in his throat. She pulled herself up into a sitting position and grabbed the parachute. She opened it and slowly read the note. </p><p>She had to read it more than once to understand what was written. </p><p>Slowly, she reached into the parachute and pulled out the vile. It took more effort than necessary to open it.</p><p>Cato held his breath more than he already was as she drank a small amount of it. </p><p>The pain in her head almost instantly dulled down to an almost unnoticeable humming in the back of her mind.</p>
<hr/><p>Serena Cavia sat on the couch in the living room, ready to watch the feast.</p><p>She didn't know where she parents were, but already at the age of 8 she knew her parent would hardly be around.</p><p>Just like Clove last year, Serena barely left the couch, watching the games intently. </p><p>The table holding three bags rose out of the ground and seconds later the girl from 12 ran out of the cornucopia. </p><p>And seconds after that, Clove made her appearance. Knocking the girl down with her knife and then tackling her moments later. </p><p>Serena was sure that Clove would kill this girl. And after would be the boy from 11 and then Clove would be a victor. She would be home in less than half a week.</p><p>Serena smiled as Clove taunt the girl. Her sister was crazy, but she loved her, more than anyone else. </p><p>The screen didn't show Thresh until his shadow fell over Clove. Quickly she looked over her shoulder at him before she could mark Primrose. </p><p>Serena yelped as Clove got flung into the air. </p><p>No, no, no, no. This wasn't happening. She wasn't losing her other, her last, sister. This boy wasn't going to take her away from her. </p><p>Serena smiled again when Clove stabbed Thresh, but the smile quickly faded when Clove hit the ground and didn't move. Only one cannon went off, so that had to mean that Clove was alive. It had to. </p><p>After a few dreadful moments, Clove moved. It was a small movement, but Serena was able to breath again after she saw it. </p><p>Clove's hand went to her head and a few seconds later she pulled herself up onto her forearm. </p><p>She stayed like that until a parachute landed next to her and Serena almost squealed when she saw it. </p><p>She felt like she should be thanking Cato for sending the gift into the arena, but also felt like she should be thanking some Capitol person more. But she didn't want to do that. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 30</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for the short and kinda crappy chapter. The next one will be longer.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clove had moved away from the cornucopia so they could collect Thresh's body. So, currently, she sat near the ruins of their destroyed supplies looking at the wreck.</p><p>She had taken more drops of the medication not much earlier. </p><p>She was weaker than normal after being slammed into the cornucopia. She wanted this to end, she wanted to go home, she wanted to kill Primrose Everdeen. </p><p>She had never thought that a 13 year old from district 12 would be her last, and her biggest, competition in the arena. She knew that she had to rest before going after Prim, but she also knew that if they wasn't any events soon then the game makers would send in mutts or something to draw them together, especially since there was only two of them left. </p><p>She took a sip out of her almost empty canteen and looked out at the trees in front of her, looking to see if she could spot Prim. The arena was huge, it would take Clove days to search it all by herself, and Prim could be moving around, making it even harder for Clove to find her. </p><p>She hated this girl. </p><p>She wanted her dead, but her head still hurt and she got dizzy when she made fast movements which wasn't good if a fight happened, or she had to get away from mutts. </p><p>Clove decided it would be better if she found Prim instead of running into her when she had mutts on her heels. </p><p>She took another few drops of the medication, another sip of water and stood up. </p><p>She looked at the water, debating whether or not swimming would be a good idea. She decided she wanted to find Primrose so she swam. </p><p>She took more of the medication when she reached land and she head stopped spinning.  </p><p>She looked around the trees, trying to find some hint to where Prim was, or where she could have gone. She had no idea where to start looking. </p><p>She pulled a long curved bladed knife out of her belt and started walking into the forest. </p><p>She had spent most of the day looking, walking down every path, looking at every tree. She had searched most of the arena, adrenaline coursing through her veins at the thought of finally killing Prim. </p><p>The sun was almost gone, the sky almost black, when Clove heard a branch snap while she was silently walking through the trees. </p><p>Clove quickly turned in the direction of the noise and saw a figure running in the opposite direction. Clove immediately ran after her, her head immediately starting to ache. </p><p>Clove was a faster runner than Primrose and quickly closed in on her. </p><p>Clove tackled her to the ground, but Primrose was fast and smart, she quickly brought her elbow up and jabbed it into Clove's nose. More pain shot through Clove's head and blood started streaming out of her nose, Prim hit her good. </p><p>Prim quickly grabbed Clove's knife off the ground when it fell out of Clove's hand. Clove quickly grabbed another knife from her belt and got to her feet. Prim watched Clove as her hand that held the knife trembled, fear all over her face. </p><p>Clove ignored the blood streaming down her face and glared murderously at Prim. </p><p>"Come on, just kill her," Clove muttered, rolling her shoulders and stretching out her neck. </p><p>Clove wiped the back of her hand under her nose wiping away the blood. </p><p>Prim decided that this was her only chance at survival so without much of a second thought she threw the knife at her attacker. </p><p>Clove dodged the knife, but not fast enough. Her head slowed her down so the knife hit Clove's shoulder. Clove being hit sent off almost a chain-reaction in Clove, her arm flung out and the knife flew through the air perfectly. </p><p>Prim didn't have the training that Clove did, so she didn't move out of the way when Clove's second knife came flying at her. </p><p>Clove watched as her knife landed in Prim's chest, a small shriek came out of her mouth before she fell to the ground. </p><p>A cannon went off and then Claudius Templesmith's voice filled the arena once again, </p><p>"Ladies and gentlemen, your 75th hunger games victor! Clove Cavia!" </p><p>Clove wiped the blood off her face again and looked at the knife sticking out of her shoulder. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's the end to Clove's time in the arena!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Chapter 31</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Clato reunion time!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clove winced as one of the prep team members pulled her newly dried hair back rather roughly. </p><p>Currently, she sat in her old room back in the Capitol in front of a mirror as her prep team got her ready for her post-games interview. They were pulling her hair back, applying make up and getting ready her dress. </p><p>She had spent about an hour and a half in the pink watered tub getting waxed and washed. They had scrubbed all the dirt from her skin and hair before she got thrown into the chair. </p><p>Rosalyn and the green girl were huddled around the bed pulling her dress out of the garment bag. </p><p>The blue was applying her make up and the orange was pulling her hair into some sort of up do. </p><p>Her make up was light, but sharp. Her facial features standing out beautifully, her brown eye shadow making her green eyes pop, her red lipstick popping out even more. </p><p>Her hair was slickly pulled into a simple but complicated looking bun at the top of her head. </p><p>They pulled her up and pushed her over to where Rosalyn stood holding out the dress. </p><p>Her dress was midnight blue and floor length with sparkles sewed in. The top clung tightly to her waist then the skirt flowed out to the ground. Her shoes were 4 inch and matched the dress. </p><p>The door opened and Clove turned to see Enobaria standing in the doorway. </p><p>"Well done Cavia. I'm impressed," she said smirking, her pearl white fangs standing out against her tanned skin. </p><p>"Thanks," Clove said shortly. Rosalyn and two of the prep team members slipped out of the room, another garment bag in Rosalyn's hands. Clove didn't know why they had another garment bag or where they were going, but she didn't give it much thought. </p><p>"How's does it feel to be a victor?" Enobaria asked. </p><p>"So far it's been quite painful," Clove said, remembering the hair pulling, waxing and getting the knife pulled out of her shoulder. They had pulled out the knife out the second she had stepped foot in the hovercraft, then they had sedated her to perform the surgery to fix her shoulder. She had woken up about 4 hours ago in a white walled hospital room and only minutes later her prep team had barged in and pulled her out of the bed and into her old room on the second floor. </p><p>Enobaria snorted a laugh at her response. </p><p>"Well come on, we have to get you to Caesar." </p><p>Clove followed Enobaria through the hallway that had become familiar to her weeks earlier to the elevator. </p><p>They rode the elevator to where Caesar's stage was. </p><p>They stepped out and into the back stage area of Caesar's stage. </p><p>They weren't there long when the lights on the stage flashed on and everyone could see Caesar sitting on his normal white plush chair, only this year across from him wasn't another plush chair, but a couch. That confused Clove, she was small, she didn't need a couch, but she didn't have long to think about it because Enobaria was pulling her towards the wings when Caesar started talking. </p><p>Little did she know she was being pulled away from the blue eyes staring at the back of her head. </p><p>"Ladies and Gentlemen, the night you've been waiting for. Tonight we will speak with Clove Cavia-Hirsh! This year's victor!" Caesar yelled. The crowd cheered deafening cheers at her name.  </p><p>Clove walked onto the stage, head held high, signature smirk on her face. </p><p>"Clove, it is lovely to see you again," Caesar said shaking Clove's hand then sitting down on his chair. </p><p>"Likewise Caesar," Clove said, willing herself to smile and to keep any bitterness out of her voice. </p><p>"Congratulations on your victory," Caesar said, a big capitol smile on his altered face. </p><p>"Thank you," Clove said. </p><p>"How was the arena? Everything you had hoped?" Caesar asked. He knew exactly what questions to ask people from 2. </p><p>"Absolutely. It was everything I had ever dreamed," Clove replied. </p><p>"Now, your knife skills, I know you said you never miss, but, wow!" Clove smirked. "You're amazing!" </p><p>"Thank you," Clove said, bathing in the compliment. </p><p>"Now, before the games, you got married, to last years victor Cato Hirsh," the crowd screamed.</p><p>"When was the last time you saw him?" Caesar asked, a twinkle in his eye. He knew something she didn't. </p><p>"The day I went into the arena," Clove replied. The crowd started screaming and Clove was confused as to why. </p><p>"Do you still remember what he looks like?" Caesar asked jokingly, talking over the noise. </p><p>"Yes," Clove said, laughing lightly. </p><p>"Well then, you'll be able to tell us if that's him," Caesar said with a swoop of his arm, gesturing behind her. Slightly confused, Clove turned around in her chair and looked over her shoulder. Standing in front of the wings not far on the stage, stood Cato, his signature smirk on his face as he looked at her. </p><p>Clove smiled, she wouldn't normally smile when she saw him, but she knew the capitol would love and eat it up. She stood up and walked over to him, he met her half way.</p><p>His hands cupped her face and brought her lips to his. She grip his suit jacket and realized that was where Rosalyn had taken the prep team with the another garment bag, to get Cato ready. </p><p>Their lips moved together like they hadn't been apart for almost a week, like no time had past. </p><p>They broke apart resting their foreheads against each other. </p><p>"I missed you," Cato murmured, low enough that Clove would be the only who heard it. </p><p>Clove smiled again, "I missed you too." </p><p>Cato reached into the pocket of his pants and pulled out Clove's ring from the spot it had been for the past week. He reached for Clove's hand and slide the ring back onto her finger. </p><p>The crowd screamed more. </p><p>"Clove, Cato, why don't you come on over," Caesar called out to the couple over the shrieks of the crowd.  </p><p>Pressing a hand into her lower back, Cato lead Clove back over to the couch in front of Caesar. The purpose of the couch was enlighten for Clove. They had planned this. </p><p>They sat down on the couch, Cato's arm draped over the back of the couch.  </p><p>"Cato, how was it watching Clove in the arena? Did you ever doubt that she wouldn't come out?" Caesar asked. </p><p>"Not at all, I knew she'd come out," Cato said looking at Clove. </p><p>Caesar nodded, a small smile on his face as he brought up a topic Clove and Cato both wanted to forget about,</p><p>"How about when Thresh came along? How were you both feeling then?" Caesar asked. </p><p>Cato answered knowing Clove wouldn't want to, "I'll admit I was, I was a bit nervous when, ugh, that happened, but I knew that she would push through. She's the strongest person I know, she can over come anything." Awww's came from the crowd. </p><p>"But now she's here and she'll never leave my side again," Cato said a bit quieter, but everyone still heard. Clove smiled looking down at her lap. Cato kissed her temple and she leaned into him, his arm wrapping tightly around her shoulders. Awww's again came from the crowd. </p><p>"Let's watched the recaps," Caesar announced and turned to look at the screen behind him. </p><p>Clove tensed up when they showed her getting thrown around by Thresh, Cato just pulled her closer, kissing her head. </p><p>The recap ended and Clove and Cato shook hands with Caesar one last time before leaving the stage. Cato's arm never leaving it's place around Clove's waist. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Chapter 32</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Back to 2</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter is dedicated to Keelie119 because I've made you wait so long for a Brutus Enobaria chapter</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clove sat in the same chair by the window of the train, like she had when she had first come to the Capitol, watching the ground fly past her. </p><p>She was on her way back to district 2. </p><p>She was alive. </p><p>She had done what Emily couldn't have. </p><p>She had won the hunger games. </p><p>Her mind was full of Emily; the scene of Emily's death playing on the tv in her parent's living room, Emily yelling at Clove for crying when she had pushed Clove down the stairs when she was 3, Emily waking up mad when Serena wouldn't stop crying as a baby in the middle of the night, Emily getting into fights at the training center with the people in her training level. Emily being her parent's favorite child, they're pride and joy, their golden girl, they're hopes and dreams. </p><p>Clove stood up abruptly and walked out of the empty train car. </p><p>She walked to her room, where, like she suspected, Cato lay asleep on the bed, only in a pair of jeans that Rosalyn had given him. Clove wore a black zip up hoodie, grey t-shirt and black leggings. </p><p>She lay down on the bed next to Cato and curled up into him. </p><p>Cato, who had been a light sleeper since his games, woke up and wrapped his arms around her. Despite being half asleep, his grip was strong like normal. </p><p>Clove didn't sleep like Cato did. She just lay in his arms listening to his heart beat until they got to 2. </p><p>Oceana started banging on the door about an hour after Clove had walked into the room. Clove sat up and fought her way out of Cato vice grip, waking him even more. </p><p>Clove stood by the door and watched Cato as he grabbed the black t-shirt that lay at the foot of the bed and pulled it on, tiredness evident on his face. </p><p>He ran a hand over his face while he walked over to her. </p><p>"Ready?" Clove asked as he came to stand in front of her. </p><p>"I should be asking you that," he said as she reached for the doorknob. </p><p>"Well finally," Oceana said, when Clove opened the door. </p><p>"You knocked on the door, what? 45 seconds ago?" Clove said as Cato slipped his hand into hers. Probably as a way to make it easier to hold her back in case she decides to attack Oceana. She probably wouldn't, but she might. </p><p>"More like 45 minutes ago," Oceana said in her 'I am trying to scold you, but failing' voice.</p><p>"Come come," she said her voice returning to it's normal annoyingly high pitched capitol voice. </p><p>Clove just rolled her eyes and pulled Cato down the hall after Oceana. </p><p>Enobaria stood at the door of the train waiting for them. She was happy to be back home too, she was excited to see Brutus. </p><p>They kept their relationship on the down low. They didn't necessarily want Capitol reporters asking them for updates every time one of them went to the Capitol. The only people who really knew were district 2 victors. </p><p>She was joined by Oceana, Clove and Cato just as they pulled into district's 2 train station. She knew Brutus wouldn't be here. </p><p>Oceana pulled Clove forward so she stood at the front of the group. She was the person who everyone was here to see. </p><p>The train doors opened, the yells and cheers of all the district 2 citizens getting even louder. </p><p>Clove walked out of the train, head high, smirk on face. Cato, Enobaria and even Oceana following her as they made their way through the clump of people. </p><p>Clove and Cato went to Clove's parents house where Serena sat on the front steps waiting for Clove. </p><p>The small girl jumped up when she saw Clove and ran towards her. </p><p>Clove crouched down so she was Serena's height and Serena tightly wrapped her arms tightly around her older sister's neck, a huge smile on her face. </p><p>She was happy to have her sister back. </p><p>Enobaria walked by the cute scene and to Brutus' house. Or well, their house, she practically lived there, had for years, but had never officially moved in. </p><p>She opened the front door and kicked off her shoes in the familiar foyer. </p><p>She walked into the kitchen where Brutus sat at the front table reading the paper that no one had ever actually put any effort into. </p><p>He looked up as Enobaria walked in and instantly smiled. </p><p>"Hey," he said standing up. </p><p>"Hey," she said leaning into him as he wrapped his arms around her waist. </p><p>"How was it?" Brutus asked. He never really watched the games anymore. They no longer held any value to him. </p><p>"We have another victor," Enobaria said. </p><p>"Cato's wife right?" Brutus asked. </p><p>"Yep. That girl has incredible knife skills. She's the best I've seen in years," Enobaria said. </p><p>"Maybe she'll go back and teach," Brutus said. Some of the victors go back to the training center to train the trainees. </p><p>"I'm not sure she has the patience for it," Enobaria said, "She might kill them before they learn anything." </p><p>Brutus chuckled and pulled Enobaria closer to him. She lay her head on his shoulder and he kissed her head. </p><p>After a moment of comfortable silence Brutus asked, "Are we going to the victor party tonight?"</p><p>"Yes," Enobaria said. She liked those parties, and always made Brutus go even if it wasn't his cup of tea. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well this story is slowly coming to an end. I think I'm going to do one more chapter to end it off since I don't really know what to do next. I just want to say thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read this. I've thought about writing this story for so long and I happy I finally have.</p>
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<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Chapter 33</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Last chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Instead of black, this year Clove wore red to the victor party. A red dress that hugged her waist but flowed to her knees freely, her hair in a slick ponytail and bright red lipstick that matched the dress, light brown eye shadow. </p><p>Cato wore a black button down shirt and jeans. He almost stopped breathing when Clove came down the stairs. She smirked when his eye widen at the sight of her, she loved being able to do that to him. And she loved knowing that she was the only one who could make him have that reaction. </p><p>Enobaria came down the stairs in a floor length purple v-neck dress, her hair flowed down her back in perfect ringlets. </p><p>Brutus wore jeans and a dark green t-shirt that hugged the muscles of his arms. He eyed Enobaria with a look that could only be described as appreciatively. He knew that later tonight that dress wouldn't be on her. </p><p>They walked to city hall, the party already lively. They met Clove and Cato at the coat check. Brutus congratulated Clove on her victory. </p><p>"That is her right?" Brutus quietly asked Enobaria as they walked behind Clove and Cato into the huge main room of the building. </p><p>"Yes," Enobaria said, "But seriously, just turn on the games a couple times. Just to stay in the loop, know what's going on." </p><p>"Nah," was Brutus' response. </p><p>"So Brutus, gonna get hammered again this year?" Miley asked with a smirk as the four joined her by the drinks table. </p><p>"Not sure, haven't decided yet," Brutus said placing his hand on Enobaria's back. </p><p>"Clove congrats. And remind me never to get on your bad side, what you did to that district 3 boy was just brutal, and he did nothing to you. I'd really hate to see what you would do to someone who pissed you off," Miley said. </p><p>"And let's pray it's not me," Cato said. The group laughed.</p><p>"Well," Miley said. </p><p>"Hey, I'm your favorite tribute," Cato argued. </p><p>"No you are not," Miley said. </p><p>"Alright that's cold," Cato said. Clove rubbed his arm while she, Brutus and Enobaria laughed. </p><p>"Well, Cato, shall we start drinking?" Brutus asked, clapping his hands and stepping forward to grab two shot glasses off the table. </p><p>"Ya, I'm gonna need something to help dull the pain Miley's putting me through," Cato said moving to stand next to him. </p><p>"You're a big boy, you should be able to handle it," Miley said. </p><p>"Brutus pour faster. I need to forget about Miley's mean insults," Cato said with a pointed look at Miley.</p><p>"Here we are," Brutus said handing the too full shot glass to Cato. </p><p>"Bottom's up," Clove sighed as the boys shot back the shots of whatever Brutus' had grabbed first. </p><p>Cato made a face after he drank his, "What the hell was that?" </p><p>"It came out of one of the bottles," Brutus said looking at the bottles in front of him, "What's next?" </p><p>"Easy," Clove said hands on her hips after they shot back they're third shots, "I'm not dealing with your drunk ass later." </p><p>"What are ya going do? Leave me here?" Cato scoffed. </p><p>"I'll drop you off at your parent's house, they can deal with you," Clove said. </p><p>"Baby that's cold," Cato said. </p><p>"Same goes for you Brutus," Enobaria said. </p><p>"What? You're going to leave me at my parent's house?" Brutus asked laughing slightly. </p><p>"No, but I'm not dealing with you drunk as a skunk two years in a row," Enobaria said. </p><p>"They're all talk," Brutus said to Cato as he turned back to the table. </p><p>"Let's do this next," Brutus said, picking up a full bottle from the table. </p><p>"What is that?" Cato asked reading the label. </p><p>"No idea never heard of it, but that must mean it's good," Brutus said opening it. </p><p>"Or it's still full because it's really crappy," Cato said. </p><p>"Let's see," Brutus said handing Cato his shot glass. </p><p>"Leave them in the park when they get hammered?" Enobaria said to Clove when Brutus and Cato shot back they're fourth shots.</p><p>"Definitely," Clove said as Cato and Brutus made faces as the alcohol burned down their throats.</p><p>"Oh that went down wrong," Cato said. </p><p>"That is the worst thing ever," Brutus said, then turned back to the table, "Now what's to wash it down with?"</p><p>"You're going to wash down bad alcohol with alcohol?" Miley said. </p><p>"Yes," Brutus said nodding, "Oh this is the good stuff!" </p><p>"You think if we left they'd notice?" Clove asked Enobaria. </p><p>"I would," Cato said looking back at her momentarily. </p><p>"You think he was answering me or?" Clove asked to Enobaria again. </p><p>"I would notice if you left cause no one would be pestering me for drinking," Cato said and took his shot glass from Brutus. </p><p>"I could send your mom over," Clove said. </p><p>"Ha! Like my mom would talk to a Cavia long enough for you to tell her to come over," Cato said then shot back his shot. </p><p>"Damn, what is that?" Cato asked looking at the label of the bottle that had poured the latest shots. </p><p>"Good right," Brutus said looking at the labels of the surrounding bottles. </p><p>"Ya!" Cato agreed.</p><p>That's how their lives went on, they had fun at the victor parties with the people who had become like a second family to Cato and Clove. Even though their parents barely ever spoke to them anymore, still mad that they had married someone from a rival family, Clove and Cato didn't care, they had each other, they had Brutus and Enobaria, they had Miley and they had all the other victors. </p><p>The young couple quickly became good friends with Brutus and Enobaria. The four would often have dinner together, where Brutus would always bring out a bottle off some good liquor he had found and he and Cato would empty it while Clove and Enobaria shook their heads and told stories of times that Cato and Brutus had been insanely stupid. </p><p>They loved their lives, they wouldn't have it any other way. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And with that brings the end of this story. I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who's read this and stuck with it. You guys have made me so happy that I finally decided to write out this idea. All the comments you guys have left me make my day all the time. I'm so happy that you guys liked this story. I'm sure to put out more, (I'm just not sure what it'll be at this point, so if anyone has any ideas for stories or have something they want written or wants help writing something pls do message me) I just want to say a special thank you to mobius_a, LesbianLoser and Keelie119 you guys really helped me continue on and not give up with this story, so thank you!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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